


The Rogue and the Refuge

by Vartheta999



Series: Strays [4]
Category: Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-09 22:19:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 43,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12898011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vartheta999/pseuds/Vartheta999
Summary: Ever since the night Cadet Strongarm went rogue and Nitrobolt became her refuge, startling revelations of the past bring more questions than answers, bonds are tested and mended while others remain broken, and faces new and old come out of the shadows.(Sequel to "The Cadet and the Fugitive"--Read it first so this'll make sense)(Also, title idea came from MatrixDream. Check them out, they're pretty rad.)Edit: Better summary





	1. Ch. 1

It was a nice day in Crown City. Birds were chirping and there was hardly a cloud in the sky as the setting sun caressed the land with warmth. Absolutely nothing could destroy the sanctity of this perfect afternoon—

“No!”

**_boom_ **

Except for maybe that.

“ _ Kaf kaf hack— _ We shouldn't have— _ Kaf Kaf!”  _ Henry wheezed as he ran out his garage, face and coveralls covered in soot, as smoke poured out through any and all openings. “We shouldn't have jump started that old thing. We need a new engine. Nico, you were right, it was a bad idea. I shoulda listened since you're more of an expert— _ Kaf!”  _

No response.

“Nico?”

Again, no response.

He looked back at the garage in horror. “Nico!”

“Don't worry, boss!” A man wearing goggles, Nico, staggered out, falling back to sit. “I'm fine, it's just—” He coughed. “The smoke….”

“We need a new engine, that one's scrap.” Henry dropped to the ground next to him. “We'll work on it tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'll go to Denny’s to pick up Hank, you take a break—”

Nico shook his head. “No,  _ you _ take the break and  _ I'll  _ go to the scrapyard to pick up Hank. I'm the employee here, Henry, what are you paying me for, to do nothing?”

“I don't pay you.”

“Eh, so what?” He stretched and pushed himself up, wiping the soot off his face. “Besides, I haven't seen her for a week.” He said and mounted his motorcycle, driving away.

□■□■□■

“And then Bronko took the ball and gave it a hard kick, launching it into the sky.” Hank said in an awestruck voice. “It went so high, it burned up upon reentry. The crowd was in shock. Never before had they seen something like that in a rookie. So—”

Russell laughed. “What parts of this story is actually true?”

“All of it! My dad said so.” Hank said indubitably.

“Really?” He said, skepticism lacing his voice.

“This story has been in my family for generations, starting with my great grandma! Why wouldn't it?” She frowned, insulted. “She was at that game, she snuck in with her boyfriend. She saw it happen, she got an autograph, too. She told it to her kids, my grandma and Uncle Travis, and when grandma grew up, she told my dad and now my dad told me”

“Uh-huh….” He smirked, still doubtful. “What else did he say—”

“YOU DARE DOUBT MY STORY BOY!” A loud, strong voice boomed from behind him. “ME? THE GREAT BRONKO KOWASLKI!”

Russell let out a girlish scream in fright, and he turned to see a tall, dark figure looming over him. 

“W-Who are you, really?” He gulped.

“IT'S ME, THE GREAT—” He took off his helmet, revealing his bright, baby blue eyes and black hair with hints of neon blue. “Nico Lamdos.”

“Nico!” Hank cheered.

“Hank!” He swept her into his arms in a hug. “You happy to see me, baby girl?”

She nodded.

“Oh, hey, Nico.” Russell smiled, dusting himself off as he stood. “What's up?”

“Nothing much, Rustmiester, where's your dad?”

“In the back, why?”

“Nothing, just tell him I said Hi, okay?” He said, letting Hank down and giving her a helmet. “And remind him he owes me a few drinks for losing that bet, okay?”

Russell nodded. “I will. Bye, Nico!”

Nico put on his helmet and revved up the engine. “See ya, Rusty.”

He sped off, and Russell could hear the long “WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” coming from Hank as they got further away.  

“Can we go out for ice cream??” Hank asked eagerly. “Maybe the movies! Ooh! Or—”

“Sorry, Hank, I need to take you straight home.” He replied. “And I got to go see how Sierra's doing, she wasn't feeling too well the last time I saw her this morning. She had a stomach ache.”

“How could she get sick if she's….if you're both….ya know.” She hinted.

He shrugged. “I'm not sure….makes them more realistic, I suppose. Anyway, I'll take you out tomorrow if that's okay with your dad.”

“Sweet!”

 

Nico pulled up into the driveway of his home and parked next to the other vehicle that was there, a dark and light blue SUV.

It was a nice little two floor house nestled deep in the woods adjacent to a small lake that had a small dock with a little boat tied to it. The house was pretty isolated, about a half hour away from the city, but he liked it.

“I'm home!” He called out to his roommate as he entered. He heard someone quickly come down the stairs and a moment later he was tackled in a hug.

“Your back!” A young hispanic woman with short, dark curly hair and bright blue eyes sighed in relief. “Thank goodness!” 

“You seem very happy to see me and you look a lot better.” He smiled. “What has you all excited?”

“I heard something down here, like someone knocked something down.” She answered. “I was too scared to come down….I know I could've handled an intruder but still.”

“Well it's okay now, I'm home….So what's for dinner?” He asked with a mischievous grin.

“Hey, it's your turn today!” She scoffed, lightly pushing him. 

“I know, but I don't feel like cooking.” He groaned. “Want to just have some pizza puffs then ice cream for desert and watch a movie?”

“Yes.” She agreed. “Yes, let's do that.”

“I'll heat up the puffs.” He disappeared into the kitchen while she switched on the TV.

 

“Nitro, wake up!” She shouted, shaking him. “Nitro!”

He stirred and his tear filled eyes slowly opened. He instantly enveloped her in an embrace and he sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder.

“It's okay, shh….” She patted his back. “Shh….just let it all out….What's the matter?”

“My dreams. I saw them, but they had to send me away. I saw them again, but I couldn't do anything to save them. They're still trapped and I can't do anything to save them.” He sobbed. “I can't do anything….”

“Who, Nitro?”

“My creators.” He wailed. “My creators and my brother. They're still in stasis. I can't do anything to save them.”

“Oh. It's another one of those dreams again, is it?” 

He sniffed. “Yes.”

“I know I can never understand the pain you feel and I know it doesn't help that where we're staying was one of the many places they lived in while the were here on Earth, but don't lose hope, Nitro.” She smiled. “Who knows, maybe they were put on the Alchemor, too. I mean, you never thought you'd see Steeljaw again but he was on the Alchemor like you.”

Nitrobolt frowned.

“Okay, bad example, but you get what I'm trying to say?”

He nodded.

“You want me to stay with you tonight?”

He nodded again and scooted over a bit to make space for her as she laid down next to him. A moment later, he pulled her towards him in an embrace.

“Thank you, Strongarm.” Nitrobolt whispered, giving her a small kiss on the forhead.

“Anytime, Nitro.” She yawned and closed her eyes. “Make sure you don't almost squeeze the life out of me in my sleep, okay?”

“Okay. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”


	2. Ch.2

“Hey, Denny.” Sierra greeted. “Where's Russell?”

“Hi, Sierra.” Denny greeted back. “And he's here somewhere….Why?”

“He gave me his helmet yesterday and forgot to take it back.” She handed it to him. “Also, I wanted to congratulate him for the win. That was quite a kick, earlier. You sure this helmets not magic?”

“You know, I haven't given that much thought…Maybe it is.” He mused. “I did buy it at this weird shop.....”

“Denny, given what I've seen on that show about the thirteenth friday, that's never a good thing.” She stated grimly but her expression was one of pure amusement. “Anyway, bye—”

“Wait, Sierra, I got a quick question.”

“What is it?”

“Where are you and Nico from?” He asked. “I mean, you just seemed to come out of nowhere.”

“Nico has been here for a while, he just was working nights so he slept all morning. You wouldn't have seen him unless you frequently went out at night.” She answered. “Me, I'm from here and there. But the last place I was at was….Chicago. I'm moved here because Henry is my uncle….distant uncle to be exact.”

“How do you like it here so far?”

“....It's nice.” She answered. “Don't live in the city, though. I live on the other side of the river, it's more peaceful. By the way, you're a local, are the stories of giant robots true?”

He froze. “Uh, why do you ask?”

“I heard a story from this kid. He said he saw one when he was camping.” She got into her car and started up the engines.

“Well, so long, Sierra.”

“So long, Denny.” She replied, driving away as Denny watched until she was almost out of sight. He turned and whistled, waving his hand, and a pair of cars, one red and the other black and yellow, drove past him after her.

□■□■□■

“Damn it....” Hank swore under her breath as she had, again, missed the target.

“You just need to focus, Hank.” Nitrobolt, who was in robot mode, called over to her. He had set up a small target for her when she and her father came over to his humble abode to keep her occupied while they both had a man to mech chat. So far, all she had to show for this target practice was a few scorched spots in the grass. “Just imagine it's a basket and the charge is the ball. And keep both eyes open!”

“Okay!”

“Listen to Nitrobolt, Hank, he knows what he's doing!” shouted a brown eyed man with a light stubble wearing a cap who looked a lot like Hank; It was Henry, only now he was in normal clothes.

Hank nodded and continued to shoot.

“Anyway, as I was saying, I'm still uncomfortable with the fact you're teaching my 12 year old how to shoot laser guns and hand to hand combat.” Henry admitted.

“Well, I knew how to do this stuff at the human equivalent of 3. By her age, I was a scout.” He said proudly. “I was forced to become a medic's apprentice a while after, though.”

“You were born into a war, Nitrobolt, Hank wasn't.” He pointed out. “She doesn't really need to know all of this.”

“I just want her to be safe, Henry. It's a rough world, and remember what I said about that fugitive bent on world domination? It's better she learns now, just in case.”

He sighed. “I want her to be safe, too, Nitrobolt. But, try looking at this from my perspective, better yet, tell me how your parents felt about what you did.”

“They taught me hand to hand combat. My sire or “father” taught me how to fight with knives, my carrier or “mother” taught me swords. A trigger happy friend of theirs taught me guns behind their backs. But, they didn't ever want me to go into battle despite my training—”

“How in the hell did you become a scout then?” Henry asked in disbelief.

“I may have lied my way into becoming one while they were away on a mission….” Nitro laughed nervously. “They let me continue for a short while before something happened where I almost died and they had me put in an apprenticeship with a medic.”

“Shame on you for lying!”

“I was a thrill seeking youngling that wanted to make my creators proud, that's my only defense.”

“I did it!”

They turned and saw Hank pointing at the the target eagerly. “I finally got it, dead center!”

“Great job, Hank! We'll make a warrior out of yet!” Nitro beamed, giving her a thumbs up.

“See, Dad!” She smiled. “I did it.”

He smiled. “Yeah, I can see that. Can I get a try?”

“Sure! But you have to ask Nitro for one, this one's mine.”

“Wait right there, Henry.” Nitro switched on his holoform and went inside the house. He returned a moment later with a small blaster similar to hers. “Here you go.”

“Where do you get all these guns?!” Henry exclaimed.

“Right under the house is my creators weapon caches, one of them anyway.” He answered. “It's pretty impressive, I'll take you down there sometime.”

“Looking forward to it, now is this the trigger—”

“No!” Nitro and Hank screamed before paint splattered all over his face.

“And this is why I gave him a training blaster.”

“Yeah, thanks—” Henry spat out some that was in his mouth. “Does this stuff come off?”

“Give it ten minutes.”

□■□■□■

“It's 3 o'clock. The human supposedly named “Sierra” parked her vehicle outside of the local park and still hasn't returned to it.” Bumblebee observed from a distance. “Sideswipe, Russell, how's it going in there?”

Russell, who was in one of his many disguises hiding in a bush, set down his binoculars and brought his phone out. “Nothing, Bee, she's still sitting on the bench and reading. I mean, she did get up and get a popsicle, but that's it.”

《 _Where's Sideswipe?_ 》

“I don't—Wait!” Russell brought his binoculars out again. “Someone's approaching her.”

《 _Description?_ 》

“He's wearing jacket, blue jeans, and sunglasses.” He observed. “He's got spiky red hair and a goatee—Oh scrap….”

□■□■□■

“Hey.”

Sierra looked up from her book and saw the redhead looking down on her. “Who are you?”

“You're name is Sierra, right?” He asked, sitting next to her.

“Yes.” She uncomfortably scooted away a bit. “Again, who are you and how do you know me?”

“My name is….” He stared off into space for a moment. “Spencer Sidetes, I'm a cousin of Russell. You know him, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he's friends with my cousin Hank. They play football together.”

“Yeah, I saw you at yesterday's game but you were gone before I could say hi.” He smiled. “So, hi.”

“Yeah, hi….” She looked back at her book, hoping he'd take a hint and leave. Something about him was making her uncomfortable besides the obvious. Though, she couldn't tell what.

“Whatcha reading?” He asked an awkward moment later.

“Devil in the White City—”

“That book about that serial killer that was in Chicago?”

She perked up. “You read it?”

He shook his head. “No, but a….friend of mine was reading it the last time I saw them. Wouldn't stop talking about it, I had nightmares from what they said about what the guy did with his victims….” He shuddered. “Sherlock Holmes, right?”

“H.H. Holmes.” She corrected him. “It's easy to get confused.”

“Yeah, it is.” He leaned back into the bench. “There's another serial killer that's famous from that town, I think he was a clown.”

“John Wayne Gacey.”

“Yeah, that guy. He reminds of that clown, IT.” He shuddered again. “I hate clowns.”

“Me, too.” She agreed, shuddering along with him, starting to feel a little more comfortable. “Why do some kids like them?”

He shrugged. “Beats me. Anyway, you like that stuff? You know, crime and law and order.”

“It's cool.”

“So did my friend, couldn't stand them.” He laughed. “Always talking about rules and regulations….a real pain, you know?”

She smirked. “You look a little like a troublemaker, so that's probably why.”

“And you look a little like them.” He pointed out. “By the way, where'd you get your car?”

“Huh?”

“Where'd you get it?” He repeated. “I'm not really into those types of cars, but I just really liked. Looks pretty strong, like it can take a few dings.”

“Uncle Henry bought it at a used car lot and fixed it up for me.” She quickly answered as a beeping sound emitted from her watch. She closed her book and got up. “I really got to go. It was nice talking to you, Spencer. See you around?”

He smiled. “Yeah, see you.”

She smiled back and walked away.

“Sideswipe!” Russell shouted. “What were you doing?”

“Investigating, duh.” He rolled his eyes. “We can't just watch her, Russell, we need to try getting up close and personal.” He stated firmly.

“Okay, but she's on the move, so let's go!” Russell made a run for his alt mode.

“Sure thing.” Sideswipe caught up to him and smirked. “By the way, say hello to your new cousin: Me.”

“What?”

□■□■□■

“Okay, Fix-It, got anything on this “Sierra Costin?” Bee asked as they tailed her.

《 _Well, lieutenant, she had high honors in  high school before dropping out and moving here._ 》Fix-It replied.《 _She's a physical trainer in the local gym a few days a week. She lives with Nico Lambdos, but where is unknown. Overall, norma_ l.》

“What about her relation to Henry?”

《 _She actually is his niece, though very distant._ 》

“Parents?”

《 _Sadly, they died right before she dropped out and moved here. Automobile accident_.》

“Oh….What about that Nico?” He asked, meanwhile feeling a twinge of sympathy for Sierra.

《 _Moved here a few months before Sierra, works on weekends at the Queen Bitch bar as a bartender/musician. Before moving here from California, he did the same thing. Only it says here that in addition to that he also worked as an exotic dancer. In simpler terms, he was a str—_ 》

“Ah! Fix-It, remember we got a m-i-n-o-r with us.” Bee interrupted frantically, not wanting to taint the child's innocent mind and have to explain to his father why his son was talking about that stuff.

《 _Whoops! Sorry, lieutenant_ 》Fix-It laughed nervously.

“Everything seems normal.” Russell commented. “I don't think we need to keep following her and Nico like this—”

“Yeah, but looks are deceiving.” Sideswipe interrupted. “And I know that human female is Strongarm. I can feel it, I know it's her! We just have to prove it.”

“Fix-It, do a scan for any energy signals besides our own around us.” Bee ordered. “Let's find out once and for all of this girl is just a decoy.”

《 _Yes, sir. Commencing scan._ 》

“It's Strongarm, it's Strongarm, it's Strongarm, it's Strongarm, it's Strongarm.” Sideswipe repeated, hopefully. “It's Strongarm, it's Strongarm, it's Strongarm—”

《 _Nothing. There's nothing. What you're following is a normal human made vehicle that's being driven by a human_ 》

“What?!” He exclaimed angrily. “No. No. No. No!! Scan again!”

《 _Nothing! Absolutely nothing!_ 》

“No, your scanners are broken then—”

“Sideswipe, I'm sorry, but we have to stop following her.” Bee said sadly, making a u turn. “We're going on a wild goose chase.”

“Fine….” He sighed. “Russell, can you get out for a moment to check if there's any dirt on my door?”

“Okay….” He stopped and let Russell out. “I don't see any—”

The red transformer floored it, leaving the young boy on the side of the road, confused.

“Sideswipe! Come back!”

 _They've given up on her! Well, I'm not. That's Strongarm. They read the same book. Have nearly the same voice. Sierra looks like Strongarm a bit…._ Sideswipe thought. _And I bet that Nico is that Nitrobolt dude! He's brainwashed her. Why else would she leave the team? Why else would she abandon—DEER!_

He swerved, veering of the road and into a tree.

He groaned. “I just buffed and waxed—”

“Oh my gosh, are you okay!”

“Scrap! What if they see no driver—Wait.” He switch on his holoform and moaned in pain, holding his head in his hands as he staggered out and fell. “My head! Why do I feel so dizzy?? Stupid deer. Stupid holoform. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!”

“Spencer?”

He lifted up his head and saw Sierra. He gave her a weak smile. “Hi. Weird bumping into you again, Str—Sierra.” He corrected himself.

“Are you okay, despite the obvious.” She helped him up.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a headache.” He replied.

“Wait a second, what are you doing all the way over here?”

“I like going for long drives. Very long drives. I saw a deer, and well, you know what happened next.”

“Do you want a ride to the hospital?” She asked.

He shook his head. “No, I'm good—Ow!” He yelped when she touched his forehead and drew back, a little bit of a red substance on the tips of her fingers. Blood.

 _These things can do that?_ ~~Sideswipe~~ Spencer thought, stunned. _Oh no, she's giving me a look…._

“I'm taking you to a hospital.” She grabbed him by the hand and almost dragged him into her car.

“But, my car—”

“We'll get your car towed meanwhile.” She said. 

“Okay.” He sighed in defeat. “Thanks, I guess….Can I lay down in the back? It'll help with the head ache.”

“Go ahead.”

He hopped into the back and laid down. When he found a position that was comfortable enough, he sighed in satisfaction and looked around. “This is a nice interior, very roomy.”

“Well, I needed something roomy, I sometimes give the team rides to and from games.” She pointed out as she started the car. “And plus, it's nice to have the space. You never know when you need to take a guy to the hospital.” She joked with a small laugh.

“Yeah.” Spencer laughed a little with her. “You never know. Say, can you turn on the radio?”

“Sure.”

 

It'd been a couple of hours since his little accident, and Sierra had taken him to the hospital where the doctor there was shocked about the fact he hardly had any injuries besides the small cut on his forehead and his headache so she sent them on their way. Since he had gotten hungry at that point (he didn't know a holoform could do that either), Sierra took the liberty of getting the both of them something to eat. They talked a little about this and that and he learned a little bit more about her and that Nico character she lives with. They lost track of time as it was already dusk when she dropped him off at his “Uncle Denny's”. He thanked her for everything before saying goodbye. Overall, it was a very nice time even if they did argue about something, though, he couldn't remember about what exactly.

Sideswipe wished he could have stayed with her for just a little while longer because as soon he set foot in the scrapyard, he was met with a barrage of hard glares and scolding looks about what he had done and where he had been. After a stern talking to from Bumblebee, he went to his own private little corner of the scrapyard to buff out the scratches made by earliers small crash and think about Sierra.

There was still no doubt in his mind she was Strongarm and that Nico was Nitrobolt. One way or another, he was going to make her come back. And he was going to make Nitrobolt pay for taking her away.


	3. Ch. 2.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small edition to chapter 2

Bar fights. 

Nico hated bar fights. 

He always had to go break things up and kick the perpetrators out. Sometimes he'd get hurt. They weren't an all the time thing, but when they did happen, he wished he'd stayed home.

Tonight was one of those nights.

Drunk poker game fight, he absolutely  loved  those. The jerks broke a table and a couple of chairs. A few of the chairs were broken over his head. Of course, he was alright, but his head was pounding like a drum and he had a few nasty little scratches. He could have the wounds heal in a blink of an eye, no problem, but then he'd have to explain why to the others. So, for now, he had to just grin and bear it until he went home.

He hated bar fights.

“Hey, Nico, you feeling better?” His boss asked, sounding slightly worried. “You took a lot of hits to the head. Are you sure I shouldn't call a doctor?”

“No, Shannon, but thank you. I got a hard head.” He smiled, but immediately grimaced. “Please, get me some painkillers. Then I'll get back to work.”

“Nah, you could have the rest of the night off. It's pretty slow, not counting that fight. Just sit back and relax.” She smiled. “I'm gonna try finding those painkillers. And there someone waiting for you. I think they'll help you feel better. It's your favorite customer.”

“Which one?” 

“Dego.” She answered. “You could cheer each other up. He's sad for some—”

Nico was gone at the drop of a hat before she could even finish. He walked around until he spotted a man with his head on the table as he sat alone in a booth. He ran up to it, sliding next to him, and he gently shook him to get his attention.

Dego, as he was called, lifted his head up with a yawn. He was an odd looking fellow with thick, black shades in the middle of the night. What was stranger still was the fact his messy mop of black hair had streaks of grey even though he looked fairly young. 

“Dego, I haven't seen you in weeks, how have you been?”

“Oh, hi, Nico.” Dego smiled a little. “Nothing much. Gyro is sick so I'm feeling a little down….He'll survive so that's an up. It's not the first time he's over eaten.”

“Who's Gyro?” Nico asked.

“Oh, my dog.”

“You have a dog?”

“Dogs. Their names are Gyro, Octaney, and Bob.” He grinned. “Cutest little things you ever could see. I would bring them over, but they really hate strangers and they're biters. Bit off a guy's finger once. He's fine, don't worry.”

“Even if that weren't the case, I still want to meet them.”

“We'll see. By the way, what happened to your face.” He winced. “Did Crane bring Bells again? God, I hate that cat! It has something against me, I just know it. Don't get me wrong I love cats, but that one is just evil!”

Nico chuckled. “Maybe she smells the dog on you.”

“Eh, maybe. Say, I got a riddle. What happens twice in a week, once in a year, but never in a day?”

He shrugged. “I don't know, Dego, tell me.” 

“The—Hey!” He snapped. “You said you'd stop doing that, Nico.”

“Damn, now I'll have to try.” He sighed. “Is the answer divorce?”

“How does that make any sense?

“Blood moons?”

“No.”

“Death.”

“No….”

“Birthdays.”

“No.”

“Fish.”

“You're not even trying.”

“My head hurts, Dego.” He groaned. “Ask me tomorrow.”

“Okay….How's Sierra doing?” Dego asked.

“She's doing great.” Nico answered. “By the way, why do you always ask about her?”

“I just wonder….She's a cute kid.” He admitted with a faint smile. “Saw her once and I fell in love.”

“Tell me about it.” He smiled. “The way she lights up when she gets excited about something makes my heart want to melt.”

“Mine, too….Say, you want a beer on me?” He offered. “My treat for being away for so long.”

“Yeah. I'd like that.” 

“Be right back.” He got up and went to the bar, leaving Nico to himself for a moment.

Nico put his head down as he waited and hummed to himself when out of the blue he felt someone tap his shoulder, then silence. There was a grunt and another tap. It couldn't be Dego, he wasn't  this  quiet. That meant it had to be—

He picked his head up and smiled. “Morrissey?” 

The bespectacled, well dressed man (who looked really out of place considering the environment) stood before him and gave a nod. He was very rugged in appearance, in fact, he looked very intimidating. But, his glasses and the gentle expression he wore lessened that. He sat down next to Nico and smiled back.

“You just got here?”

Morrissey nodded.

“What's with the suit?”

He grunted and scowled, muttering.

“Just came from work? Your coworkers aren't the best to work with, I suppose.”

He let out a huff and rolled his eyes

“It's that bad, huh? What do you do, again?”

He made a clicking noise with his tongue.

“Oh right, a clockmaker. But, wait, why the suit?”

“Party” He mouthed.

“Oh. Was it a little fun at least?”

He shook his head as quickly as possible and made a gagging noise while pretending to hang himself with a free hand.

“Okay, okay, I get it. Don't have to be so graphic—”

“Nico, here's your beer, I gotta go!” Dego interrupted frantically, tossing the bottle as he ran out.

“Whoa!” Nico caught the it before it could hit the ground and looked at Dego until he was gone. “What was that about?”

Morrissey shrugged.

“You're right, who knows?” He mused. 

 

Nitrobolt arrived back home a few hours later and saw Strongarm sitting on the ground outside of the house, staring at the sky as the sun rose.

“Well, well, Strongarm, what are you doing up at this time.” He transformed behind her and smiled. “You usually don't wake up for another half hour.”

“I wanted to see the sunrise.” She answered. “Want to join? We haven't done this in a while.”

“Sure!” He nodded eagerly and plopped down next to her, letting her rest her helm on his shoulder.

“So,” She began after a moment. “how was work?”

“Fine.” He answered, a small groan escaping past his lips.

She gazed up at him with a knowing look. “There was a fight?”

“Yup.”

“How bad?”

“Bloody noses and broken furniture.”

“Ah….” She nodded, frowning. “Over what?”

“They were drunk and it was over money.Anyway, let's not discuss my work, let's talk about you. How was your day?” He asked. “When I left, you just got back and I couldn't ask.”

“It was great! You wouldn't believe what happened today!” She grinned. “I made friend….I think.”

“That is pretty great.” He agreed. “See, I told you you'd make one. What's their name?”

“Spencer, I met him at the park, he kind of just came up to me.” She said. “He's Russell's cousin and he saw me at a game. After some awkwardness, we actually chatted for a little bit and parted ways. Then, guess what happened?”

“What?”

“As I'm driving back here, someone crashes.” She continued. “I go to help and it's Spencer. I gave him a ride to the hospital and after that we just hung out. It was fun, and we were thinking of doing it again sometime.”

“Primus, soon you'll no longer need or want my company….” He jokingly lamented, faking a sob. “I'll be so lonely….You wouldn't leave your poor—”

She cut him off with laugh. “That doesn't work on me, Nitro.” 

“It was worth a shot.” He shrugged, wiping away a tear.

“Anyway, he sort of reminded me of….” Strongarm trailed off, the previous visible happiness fading away and turning to immeasurable sorrow.

“What's the matter?”

“He reminded me of Sideswipe. His personality, the way he talked, how he seemed to know me in a way. Even his hair looked like Sideswipe's crest….I miss him. I miss everybody.”

“I know….”

“Ever think about going back?”

“All the time. We will, one day….but now is not the right time.” He sighed. “I don't know when it will be the right time. Do you?”

“No….” She sighed with him. “But, look at the bright side, we're going back one day. It might not be for the longest time, but we're still going back. For now, though, let's just watch the sunrise, okay?”

Nitrobolt thought for a moment and gave her a nod and continued to watch the sun as it rose, filling the sky with shades of red and splashing the clouds with endless rays of pink.


	4. Ch 3

Nitrobolt and Strongarm surveyed the wooded area around them. It was dark, with nothing but their headlights serving as some source of light. All that could be seen were trees, trees, and, well, more trees. And it was quiet. Whoever they were looking for wasn't here.

“Look, we don't want to hurt you!” Strongarm shouted. “We just want to help you. We know you're scared—”

“Strongarm….look.” Nitrobolt pointed to the small trail of energon that led even deeper into the forest.

“And that you're hurt. Come out!” She added and they began to follow it. The drops grew larger and into small puddles as they seemed to get closer.

“Please, come out!” Both repeated with a sense of urgency. This was not good. A bot that small losing that much energon wasn't good. Then suddenly, just as they were getting hopeful, the trail disappeared, like he disappeared into thin air.

Nitrobolt let out a long, angry and frustrated howl, and Strongarm fought the urge to do the same. They were so close, and yet, still so far away.

Where was he?

_A month earlier…._

“This thing has just been collecting dust down here for at least fifteen years. I think it's due for the scrapheap….” Nitrobolt commented about the computer in front of him. “It's going to be a pain building a new one….we need that scanner.”

“Maybe we just need to….restart it,” Strongarm shrugged. “Or hit it, that always works as a last resort….mostly.”

“That would work if we could turn it on.”  He frowned. “The restart thing, not the hitting.”

“Hey, kids, I know I'm not exactly the electronics genius,” Henry spoke up, and they looked down at him crouching in front of an open panel, “but I'm sure some of the loose and broken wires at the base might be the problem.”

Nitrobolt blinked for a moment, stunned, before laughing and crouching down to fix it. “Of course….Plugs pulled, need to replug it.”

“By the way, Nitrobolt, what is this place that you all dragged me to?” He asked, motioning at the rest of the large room they were in. “Besides under your house. I thought this was only a weapons cache.”

“I did, too, but then we found this door,” He replied, shutting the panel, “and, well, I opened it and found this place.”

“We haven't gotten to seeing the rest of it it, yet. We're just trying to turn on the computer—Hey, it's turning on!” Strongarm exclaimed, happily.

“Finally,” Nitro sighed in relief, “thanks, Henry.”

“Don't mention it—” Suddenly, he froze and looked around frantically. “Where's Hank?”

“She's sitting down over—” The mech faltered when in Hank's place sat her helmet and nothing else. “Hank?!”

Hank, meanwhile, was doing the exploring for them as she wandered through the halls. This place, which she at first thought was a type of bunker, was nearly carbon copy of the house upstairs; only, this was more cybertronian-esque and the kitchen was replaced by an energon storage room in addition to a few extra rooms, such as a very large room that looked similar to a gym and the main room the others were in….that gym room may it may not have a small hole in the wall, totally _not_ her fault.

Then she stumbled upon three doors, each with its own unique, personal look. The first door had a life size portrait of two bots, a mech and a femme; the second door had doodles of other transformers all over it, with the word “BLITZKRIEG” written in big, bold, blue letters in the middle; and the the third was a silver chrome color with a large star in the middle and a large ribbon over it like it was a gift.

That last door was tempting, the thought it hadn't been opened yet and she would be the first to enter fascinated her. But, then again, it might be gift to someone and it wasn't meant to be opened by her. So, she decided to try to go through the other door that fed into her temptation, the first door.

What was so strange about it, what piqued her interest was how it was split right down the middle and each side seemed to display a different version of both bots.

On right hand side of the door, there was a black and purple femme with a visor and little “elf ears”, and behind her stood a large green and black mech with dark green optics. They each had an Autobot symbol in the middle of their chest and they seemed to stare kindly down at Hank, even though they were just a picture.

The left hand side of the picture, there was a large, black, wolfish looking bot with a devious grin that displayed his sharp fangs and startlingly identical green optics to the other mech. In the foreground, a red femme with deep crimson optics and a pair of wings. She was smiling, but there was a strange coldness in her optics that sent a shiver up her spine. They had a Decepticon symbol on their chest.

But, she wasn't frightened by them. She knew who they were, Nitro told her stories about them and there was nothing to be afraid of—

“There you are!” Strongarm said, relieved. “Why did you wander off?”

“I'm a kid, Strongarm,” Hank shrugged, “it's what I do….Why are you worried?”

“There might be dangerous things just lying around, Nitrobolt said this was a kind of retreat for his creators and brother,” She answered, “and his carrier had a habit of leaving the weapons she built unattended—” Suddenly, she gaped, stunned, jaw dropping.

“Strongarm….are you okay?” Hank asked, but then she suddenly notices her gaze is transfixed on door number one.

“That's Nightshade!” She squealed happily, breaking the silence while pointing to the right side. “And Onyx! Look at the detail, it's like a photo.”

“Yeah, so?”

“They're are one of my heroes! Oh, the other side is Switchblade,” She pointed to the femme and then to the mech, “and Lambda….their bitter rivals.”

“Huh? I thought they were the—”

“You found Hank?” Nitrobolt interrupted.

“Henrietta!” Henry hugged her so tight, she was gasping for air. “Oh, thank GOD you're okay. Don't you ever wander off like that again,” He scolded her like she was a small child, “do you understand?”

“I will if you let me go!” She choked out. “Please!!”

“Sorry!”

“I think-Hoo! I think you broke my ribs….” She fell to her knees, gasping and groaning before falling face first. “Call a doctor....”

Her father rolled his eyes at her and helped her up, “Oh, it wasn't _that_ bad, Hank….your back didn't crack this time.”

“Henry, with all that muscle, are you sure you weren't into sports as a youth?” Strongarm asked.

“No, I was more of nerd than anything,” He laughed. “You should have seen me back then, it was hilarious. Big, strong lad carrying around a bunch of books instead of playing sports or tormenting other students, and my best friend was a little kid. He was a genius!”

_bee-beeb bee-beeb_

“What was that?”

_bee-beeb bee-beeb_

All eyes and optics turned their gaze to Strongarm since that's where the sound seemed to be coming from.

“What?” She asked.

_bee-beeb bee-beeb_

“Oh….Oh! Hank, come on!” She grinned, kneeling down and holding out her hand for her.

“Why—Oh....Oh!” Hank gasped and ran over, sitting down on her hand. “Let's go!!”

Strongarm nodded and bolted down the hall, disappearing around the corner.

Henry and Nitrobolt could hear as their distant shouts of “How could we have forgotten?!” and “We're going to be late!” faded into silence, and it was now just the two of them.

“Henry,” Nitrobolt said, breaking the silence, “who was that little boy?”

“His name was Rafael Esquivel or Raf, best friend I could ever have,” Henry smiled fondly, the memory of the small boy returning to him. “Then, he kind of stopped coming around, he made new friends. I never held it against him….I had to move away, anyway, so it was reassuring to see he wouldn't be lonely when I was gone.”

“You used to live in Jasper, Nevada?”

“Yeah, born and raised—How do you know it was Jasper?”

“My creators' team resided their, they told me stories,” He answered, “about the battles, the life or death situations, their teammates, both human and cybertronian. And one of those human teammates was named—”

“Raf….I should of known, all those stories about giant robots seemed to flare up after he made those new friends,” He sighed, then he began to snicker. “Wait, so you're telling me my uncle wasn't crazy when said he was about to get into a fight with a giant transforming robot?”

“Yup!” Nitrobolt laughed.

□■□■□■

“Butch!” Hank called out while ~~Strongarm~~ Sierra honked her horn twice.

The boy looked up from his garden work, which had stained his signature jersey with dirt, and waved slightly with a small smile. “Hey, Hank, Sierra, what's up—Wait, what are you doing here?”

“Duh, practice today, sorry if we're a little late!” Hank exclaimed. “Drop the shovel and the flowers. Let's go!”

“Sorry, but I'm still grounded for the next few years.” He sighed and began placing flowers in the holes he dug. “Which means another week….or two.”

“What happened, again?”

“I let the dogs out, so I'm grounded.”

“That's never stopped you before,” Sierra pointed out, earning stunned looks from the two children.

“But….you're always telling us to follow the rules.”

“I meant….” She awkwardly cleared her throat and continued. “I'm not encouraging you to disobey the rules, but your uncles are very….lenient on you when it comes to your athletics.”

“Well, they didn't ground me—” He grabbed a watering can after he finished with the flowers and proceeded to water them, “my mom did.”

Hank and Sierra's jaws dropped, “You have a mom?”

Butch nodded.

“Where has she been?”

“In space, she's a scientist.” He answered. “Just came back a few days ago and she's a little stricter….but I don't really mind, I missed her. I think I wanna spend time with her more than go to practice, even if I wasn't grounded.”

“Oh….see you _hopefully_ next week, Butch. Have fun!” Sierra said, and Hank waved at him as they drove away.  

“Well, this sucks. Dick is sick, Julian is at his aunt's, Demarius is also sick, Jackie and Butch are grounded, and everyone else is just too tired….Even Rusty….I hoped at least he would be up to it.”

“It's okay, Hank. There's always tomorrow. Hey, maybe we could practice—”

“No thanks….” Hank cut her of abruptly. “Just take me back home….”

“Oh….” She sighed, slightly disappointed. “Why not?”

“It's more fun when it's more than two.” She answered. “Dad and Nitrobolt are probably back at the shop, so they're busy.”

“Maybe….” Sierra thought for a moment. “We could go to the park and have some baseball practice? I got a bat, some gloves, and a ball in the back and you really do need to practice hitting the ball.”

“That's true, and two can play that,” Hank nodded. “Let's do it!”

“That's what all I wanted to hear,” Sierra smiled.

□■□■□■

“Yo, Jet! Slip! How's it hangin'?” Sideswipe asked enthusiastically….too enthusiastically for comfort.

The minicons looked at each other then back at him. “Uh, well, we—”

“Sweet!” He cut them off abruptly. “Listen, I'm going out on patrol and I was wondering if I could take you two with me. Extra eyes makes everything better. What do you say?”

Jetstorm nodded eagerly while Slipstream looked unsure.

“Did you ask Master Drift?” Slipstream asked.

“Yeah and he's totally cool with it, as long as I don't put you in danger or “corrupt your pure, young, and innocent sparks with my contravening lifestyle”....Whatever that means. So—” He transformed and opened his doors to them, “hop in.”

They both smiled and went in. As he left, Bumblebee watched with a small smile.

“You know, as horrible as what happened with Strongarm was, I think some good game out of it,” He said to Drift, who was also watching Sideswipe. “Sideswipe is so much more responsible. I'm proud of him, I really am.”

Drift nodded in agreement, though he was a little suspicious. Responsible Sideswipe just happened overnight, right after that human girl was determined not to be Strongarm….then again, this was Sideswipe. He rushed into everything.

 

“Okay, guys, are we clear on who you are?” Sideswipe, as Spencer, told the two boys who looked about Russell's ages dark hair and eyes.

They would've looked like twins if one wasn't slightly taller than the other and had his hair in a crew cut, while the other's was curly. Not to mention, the curly one had glasses and his ears were slightly bigger.

“We say that we're your younger brothers.” Curly spoke up. “My names Jimmy and Slipstream—”

“No, you're Conan, Jetstorm. Slipstream is Jimmy.” Spencer corrected.

“Oh, right.” He nodded and adjusted his glasses. “My name is Conan Sidetes.”

“And I'm Jimmy Sidetes!” Crew Cut smiled. “We say say we just came into town to stay with you because our parents are dead….Why do they have to be dead, again?”

“Convenience.” Spencer shrugged, looking into a side view mirror and taking out a comb to fix his hair.

The other two went to the other mirror to look at themselves and grinned. They, in short, looked adorable. A few minutes earlier, Sideswipe had explained to them both what his “patrol” really was and why he wanted to bring them along. They were apprehensive at first, but the opportunity to use their avatars was too good to pass and so they agreed. Besides, it would be fun.

“Okay, little dudes, what is the mission?” Spencer asked.

“Objective one: To discover if Nico and Sierra are Nitrobolt and Strongarm.” Conan began.

“Second objective: To bring them both back.” Jimmy finished.

“Well, mainly bring back Strongarm, but yeah. Final question: Are you ready to become the Sidetes' with me?” He smiled.

They nodded eagerly.

“Then let's—”

“Wait! I have a quick question.” Jimmy spoke up. “Why did you give us these names? We have these little cards that come with names already.”

“The names I gave you and my name are the names of characters from Strongarm's favorite shows.” He answered. “Spencer is from _Criminal Minds_ , Conan and Jimmy are from _Case Closed._ It might bring her out, you know?”

“Second question, why are we at the park.”

“She loves coming here—Duck!” He pulled them both down as the person of interest passed by with a tomboyish looking girl in tow, the one Russell always hung out with, Hank.

“....Don't pitch too hard, okay, Sierra? You have a habit of doing that,” Hank told her. “You nearly gave me black eye the last time.”

“I promise, Hank,” She replied. “And _you_ keep a good grip on that bat, I don't want another accident….”

They both laughed nervously and the three watched as they went about their business.

“Okay, let's go,” Spencer took both boys and led them by the hand through the unfamiliar grounds, hiding them every so often to avoid being spotted.

“Can we stop?” Conan asked. “You're hurting my arm.”

“Yeah, me, too. We're not toys, you know,” Jimmy agreed and Spencer stopped.

“Okay, we could take a break,” He frowned as he saw Hank and Sierra got further away, “but a quick one, alright?”

The “quick break” turned into a 15 minute fare of the ~~minicons~~ _miniboys_ making Spencer buy them something from every food cart or peddler that they passed by (Don't ask where he got the money, but let's just say some unbelievably valuable scrap is missing from the scrapyard).

“This taste so sweet!” Jimmy exclaimed happily, taking another lick of his popsicle. “Right, Jetstorm—I'm sorry I mean, _Conan_.”

“Oh, yes, they are delicious, _Jimmy_ —Sideswipe, can we get that?!”

“Dude, I'm going to be broke at this rate, chill!” He groaned. “And it's Spencer….”

“Four!” Someone shouted, and he thought nothing of it, until he felt a terrible pain grow in his nether regions.

 _Oh, frag my life!_ He thought with a pained moan, collapsing and holding his….stuff….in pain. _Why does it have to hurt, oh, Primus almighty, WHY??_

“Sorry!” Hank winced at the sight of him, running up and retrieving her bat, which laid next to him. “Hey, aren't you that guy my cousin hangs out with?”

“Yes!” He squeaked. “Werr...is….she?

“I'm so sorry for this, I'll happily pay the hospital bill just please don't sue!” Sierra pleaded, coming over as though on cue.

“E-Eeeey….Sierra,” He laughed weakly, not wanting to be seen in his state, “waazzuuup?”

“Spencer?” She helped him up and onto a nearby bench. “I'm so sorry….Should I take you to a doctor?”

“It's okay! I-I'll be fine.”

“Why is it almost every time we meet, you get hurt? Last week you got ran over by a car, for crying out loud. And it wasn't even a car, it was a truck! A TRUCK! How are you still okay?”

“I'm a strong boy.”

“Do you have a limit?? I'm tired of seeing you in pain. And again, a truck, Spencer, a truck. How did you not see it?” She asked.

“I was distracted….” He muttered.

“You need to try to be a little more streetwise, I don't want that to happen again.”

“Hey, don't tell me to be streetwise, I'm the streetwisiest person you'll ever meet! I practically made streewiseism.” He frowned.

“Then why did you get hit by a truck?” She snarked.

He scowled, “I was distracted—”

“And so goes my point—”

“You were distracting me!”

“ _How?!_ ”

“You, uh, were talking to me!”

“I was telling you to hurry up, the light was turning green! Don't blame that on me—”

“I'm not, I'm just saying—”

“It sounds like you were—”

“Wasn't!”

“Were!”

“Wasn't!”

“Were!”

While the two quarrelled, the miniboys looked at Hank and she looked back.

“Hello,” She greeted, “what's your names?”

“I'm Jimmy and he's Conan,” Jimmy replied. “Spencer's our big brother. What's your name?”

“I'm Hank,” She smiled, picking up the baseball and glove Sierra had dropped and holding them out to them. “Wanna play?”

“Play?”

“Yeah,” She giggled, “you never played before?”

“No, we have! But, what are we playing?” Conan asked, pushing up his glasses up on his nose.

“Baseball. You know, first, second, and third base, catcher, pitcher, batter. Baseball.”

 _Baseball?_ They thought for a moment. What was baseball? Then it hit them, the game they had seen in television with sticks and balls where you had to run around a diamond to win!

“Yes, we'd like to play!” They nodded.

“Great,” She said in relief, shifting her gaze in their quarreling friends, amused, “'cause it looks like they're going to be there for a while….So, who wants the bat?”

“I'll take it,” Jimmy said, taking the bat and swinging it around. Suddenly, it slipped out of his hands.

_THWUNK!_

“Ow! Who the fuck was that!?”

“Scatter!” Hank shouted, and they scurried in different directions.

This caught the attention of their arguing friends because they stopped and looked back to see a woman walking towards them with Hank's bat in one hand and the other pressed against the side of her head. And, to put it mildly, she had a look that could only be described as bloodlust.

“I'm sorry if I distracted you!”

“And I'm sorry if I blamed you!” They quickly apologized to each other and ran after their younger cohorts.

 

“Thanks for buying me a new bat, Spencer,” Hank thanked him as they all walked out of a sports goods store. “Oh, and also for the gloves.”

“You're welcome,” He replied with breath of relief. “Those are to make sure accidents don't happen again….” He looked at a clock on the building across the street and gasped, “and we got to go. We'll see you, Sierra, and you, too, Hank.”

“Yeah, see you and thanks again!” She exclaimed. “Conan, Jimmy, why don't you come to practice this weekend!”

“We'll see if we can. Bye!” They waved and ran after Spencer.

“Bye,” Sierra waved back, suddenly sighing. “You know, Hank, I'm really starting to get the feeling that something is not right about that boy…”

“Tell me about it,” She agreed, “from what I heard from you, he should be dead from how many times he gets hurt. Definitely not very human…kind of like you, to be honest. He could be that “punk” you talked about, he might be looking for you.”

“True, I thought the same,” They began to walk back towards her vehicle, “but then why would he miss me enough to look for me? I was always on his case, and even if we had a bonding moment, I kind of wrecked everything in the end. He should hate me.”

“Well, if he's looking for you, it means something,” She pointed out, getting into the car and putting on her seatbelt, “and to clarify, was he your boyfriend?”

Sierra shook her head and started the engine and began to drive a moment later. “Sideswipe was just a teammate—” She paused when her thoughts wandered back to that small moment shared just a few months ago.

_I know we have our little fights and most of the time we don't get along, but we are still friends; Friends who want to rip out each other's sparks sometimes, but friends. Okay?_

They weren't just teammates, they were so much more. They were—

“Actually,” She smiled warmly, “he was my friend. My crazy, mischievous friend.”

□■□■□■

 _It was supposed to be just a quick trip to the store to buy medicine for Russell and some other small groceries. How did I get caught up in this mess?_ Denny thought, quickly glancing at the small 8 year-old boy sitting in the passenger seat beside him, fast asleep, to make sure he was alright.

Oh, he was going to hear it when he got back.

It wasn't his fault. He wasn't doing anything, just minding his business as he left the store when stumbled upon the boy. He was sitting on the ground with his head buried in his knees and was softly sobbing to himself. There wasn't a parent in sight. Being the nice person he was (and a human being), he asked what was wrong and where were his parents.

He replied that he had lost them, that he woke up and they were gone and they were taken away.

He immediately took him and the little bike he had with him to the nearest police station and stayed with him until they could figure out what to do with him.

“ _He's a little John Doe,”_ They told him. _“No record of him anywhere, no missing children reports, no missing anything. He just appeared.”_

They tried finding a place for him to stay while they figured out what to do with him, and Denny blurted out that he could take care of him, that it was no trouble at all, he had the room and the resources to take care of another child besides his own son.

And, so now, here he was dreading the inevitable argument when he returned. There was no turning back, he couldn't just return the kid. It wasn't like he wanted to, anyway. He looked like a good kid, maybe he could keep a secret.

He brought the truck to a stop when they reached the scrapyard.

“Diego,” He lightly shook him by the shoulder to wake him. “Wake up, we're here.”

“Mommy? Daddy? You're back?!” Diego jolted awake and looked around with hopeful glint in his eyes before reality set in and that glint faded away. “Oh…Hi, Denny.”

 _Oh, no…_ He thought while he gave him a look of sympathy, _there go the heartstrings...Be strong, Denny, be strong. You didn't let them see you cry with Bambi, don't let them see you now._

“Hey, Diego, this is your new home for now.”

He looked out the window and cocked his head to the side in confusion, “Scrapyard? That's kinda cool…”

“Actually, it's a vintage….you know, forget about it. Let's go, I get the feeling you're hungry, I'll make you something,” Denny got out and he followed him a moment later, “and, meanwhile, you could meet my son and my other—”

“Denny!” Bumblebee shouted, skidding to a halt in front of him. “I got great news and bad news! Great news, Russell purged, but after that his fever started going down. Bad news, he is still….” He trailed off at the sight of Diego, who looked back at him and, for the first time since Denny met him, he smiled.

“You got a robot? I love robots,” He said. “He's a transformer like the stories.”

“He's my friend, his name is—”

“I wanna call him Bumblebee,” He ran up to the mech and looked up at him. “Is that okay? You look like a bumblebee.”

Bee stood there, stunned, and he didn't reply.

“That's his name, actually. You want to meet my other friends and Russell?”

He nodded eagerly.

“See that aisle?” He pointed to it. “Go straight down that aisle and you'll see a rocket door. Wait for it to go up, and then go inside.”

“Okay!” He bolted off and Denny smiled at him, glad he seemed to be happy, but it soon faltered as he brought up his gaze to meet the autobot leader's displeased one.

“So,” He smiled again, but this time nervously, “Bee…how was your day?”

Bumblebee pinched the bridge between his optics and let out a frustrated groan. “What happened?”

“Well—”

They froze when they heard Fix-It's distressed cry and the shouted queries of “Civilian!” “Who are you!?” “How did you get in!?” and an assortment of others.

“Talk, Denny.”

“Uh, so I…”

□■□■□■

A short distance away, the campers of Troop 5 were sitting around a campfire telling the tale of the horrible Sideswingo and his partner in crime Bumbeego when they heard the roar of a great beast "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING DENNY CLAY!?"

To make a long story short, they didn't get any sleep that night.


	5. Ch. 4

The first few days with Diego were upsetting ones, at least to him.

He was told about capturing Decepticons and, naturally, he tried to find how he could fit in their already great system. He wanted to help, in fact, he insisted.

But they told him no.

_No, you're too young._

_No, you'll get hurt_

_No, this is advanced Cybertronian circuitry, a human child can't understand this—no offense._

_No, you cannot use that blaster._

_No, just stay out of the way and go play._

_No._

_No._

_No._

_No!_

They (excluding Denny) treated him like he was a delicate china doll and naive, which obviously made him upset yet they kept on doing it.

“Denny, why do they treat me like a baby?” He asked one morning as he mindlessly stirred the air in his empty bowl. “Why won't they let me help?”

“Well,” He paused, thinking of an explanation, “you are small for a boy your age….and you're your age.”

“But on Bumblebee's old team his partner was small!”

“He was twelve, you're eight.”

“But I can help! Really help! I can repair stuff, you know, I really can! My mommy and daddy taught me and so did my Pop-Pop,” He frowned. “Everyone else here always let Russell help and he doesn't know half of what I know!”

“Maybe you just have to wait for the right time, and when your moment comes, seize it,” He said, closing his fists for emphasis. “Show them what you're capable of.”

□■□■□■

“Wooh! Baby, we're back in business!” Nitrobolt cheered.

“You fixed them _—_ Ah!” Strongarm yelped when he swept her peddes and spun her around in complete joy.

“It works! It works! It works!!” He repeated, slowing to a stop. “I fixed the scanners. Now we can get back to kickin' decepticon tail!”

“Thank you and thank Primus!” She said in relief. “Our jobs are nice, but we need to get back to our careers…also can you put me down?”

“Oops. Sorry,” He apologized and put her down. “Also, I got a surprise for you so close those pretty blue eyes.”

“Okay. Don't slit my throat or anything, okay?” She joked and closed them.

“Now why would I do that, Strongarm?” He laughed and she felt his digits lightly brush against her neck before she felt something else entirely begin to graft itself onto her face.

“What's going on?!” She panicked and opened her optics, but saw nothing. “Nitrobolt, where are you!? I-I can't see. Nitro!”

“It's okay! It's okay, pretty blue eyes,” He took her by the hands and she visibly seemed to calm down, his touch reassuring her that he was still there, “calm down, I'm here. It takes a while for you to see because it's trying to identify you. It's making itself so that it's for you and only for you.”

“I'm still scared, I-I don't like it when I can't see...” She whimpered, tightening her grip on his hands.

“It's okay, we'll sing a song while we wait… _If you need a friend, don't look to a stranger,”_ He began to sing. “ _You know in the end I'll always be there. And when you're in doubt or when you're in danger, take a look all around and I'll be there…_ Come on, you know the words”

“ _I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say. I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be,”_ She sang along with him, getting calmer with each word that slipped out, “ _but if you wait around a while, I'll make you fall for me. I promise, I promise you. I'm sorry, but I'm just thinking of the right words to say. I know they don't sound the way I planned them to be. And if I had to walk the world, I'd make you fall for me. I promise you, I promise you I will…”_

Slowly, the image of Nitrobolt faded into view.

Strongarm smiled, “I can see you.”

“See, I told you,” He smiled, too, letting go of her hands and reaching into his subspace. He pulled something out and put it on and she gasped.

His mask. She hadn't seen that thing since, well, they met.

“Now we're twins!” He exclaimed. “Now you have protection for your face and from subsonics. Not to mention some other features for combat, like something that can target opponent's weak points and there's also one for shooting. But, yours is not exactly like mine, so it only has a fraction of its abilities.”

“Can't you just add them, I mean, you did build—”

“I didn't build mine.”

“You didn't build the original?” She asked, taking sudden notice that her voice was much deeper.

“No, it was a gift from...” He stopped for a moment and looked at the ground. “From an old friend.”

“Nitrobolt,” She spoke up a moment later, startled by his sudden change in tone, “are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” He shrugged and turned to the computer. “I'll watch the scanners for now, you could do...something.”

Strongarm frowned. Whenever he mentioned his “old friend”, he became despondent and disconnected; when she asked what was wrong, he'd make up an excuse or change the subject. She already knew who this friend was—had a good idea, anyway—She wanted to ask him about it, about why it always made him so sad to think of them, but she didn't know how to talk to him without triggering something.

As strong as he was and acted, he was very delicate inside, and she needed to be careful and not try to impose herself.

“Nitro, if you ever need to talk, I'm right here, okay?” She said anyway, as a small, gentle reminder he was not alone.

“I know.” He sighed.

Suddenly, there was a rapid beeping noise and she looked at the screen, seeing the Decepticon signal as it flashed….on the other side of the country.

“We got a live one,” Nitro began typing something into the computer. “Get geared up.”

“How do we get there? Unless you could make a groundbridge in 10 seconds, we're gonna have to drive and that—”

She was cut off by a loud hum and a whir, and suddenly, a swirling vortex of blue and green opened up in the wall beside her.

“Who says we're going to drive?” He said, and she swore she could hear him smirk from under his mask.

“H….How?!” Strongarm exclaimed as they walked through. “Groundbridge? There's a groundbridge down here.”

“My carrier built it,” He replied. “Built everything in this place.”

“Who was she, anyway?”

“Nightshade, remember?”

“What? No way!”

“I told you months ago—Oh, right, you got stung by that scorpiocon right after….”

“Oh yeah….Wait, what!?”

“I'll tell you the story later….” He said before the groundbridge closed behind him, leaving the bunker quiet and empty.

□■□■□■

Near the Crown City Hunting Reserve, the Bee Team were also out on the hunt for a fugitive….it wasn't looking good.

“Okay, Fix-It,” Bumblebee began, “so far we know the fugitive is a master of camouflage and—”

“Man, everything in life is just….wow.” Drift spoke in a very un-Drift manner. His optics were hazy and his speech was slightly slurred as he teetered from side to side, like he was under the influence of something. “Is it even real, bro? I mean—Holy Fragging Primus, look at your optics! They're beautiful! Sooo shiny!”

“—inducing a psychedelic trip?” He sighed. “Also, they rhyme a little.”

The minicons stared at Drift wearily, “Is our master—”

“Hehe….tiny Autobots. You two are adorable! I just want to hug you into wittle itty bitty pieces!”

“—going to be okay?” Jetstorm asked.

“Yeah, this was funny a few minutes ago, but now it's just sad,” Sideswipe frowned.

“Uh…”

《 _Well, lieutenant, I got good news and bad news._ 》Fix-It commed in.《 _Good news is, I was able to identify the fugitive right away. Bad news, it's two._ _Rambler and Gambler, twins_ —》

“Weren't they apart of that circus?” Grimlock asked.

《 _Yes, they were magicians, until they got caught during an attempted bank robbery and it was found they used drugs on the audience to make the magic believable._ 》The minicon replied.《 _Rambler does the talking while her brother has all the tricks...and psychedelics. Be careful with both, they could put up a fight, especially when cornered. Or if one of them is hurt._ 》

“Okay, not like we haven't dealt with this before,” He shrugged. “But still, we gotta be careful.”

“What do we do with Drift?”

“Sideswipe, escort him back to base.”

“What? But I—” Bee gave him a look and he slumped over and groaned, “Fine….C'mon, Drift.”

“Maaan, you're so red like a, uh,” The drugged up bounty hunter trailed off, “a flower—No! Red energon.”

“Yeah, yeah, let's go,” He took a pair of stasis cuffs and cuffed the both of them together before dragging him away. “You, too, Jet and Slip.”

They nodded and followed after him, Bumblebee watching as they disappeared from view.

“Grim,” He turned to the dinobot with a stern expression, “it's just you and me now. We have to stick together, okay? No running off on me, no going punch crazy at the first sign of danger. When we spot them, what do we do?”

“Stick together…and attack together.”

“Well, yeah, but we have to wait for the right moment to attack. Speaking of which, Fix-It,” He spoke into his comm, “how were authorities able to apprehend the two?”

《 _They used tranquilizing gas, but even then it still took a while.》_

“We don't have that...anything else?”

《 _...》_

“Fix-It?”

《 _May I suggest dumb luck?_ 》

“Oh boy…what chance is that?!”

“Bee, we're all here because of ‘ _dumb luck_ ’...” Grim shrugged, giving him a toothy grin. “I say we give it a shot and hope we don't die like always!”

Bee thought for a moment before nodding in agreement and the search began for the twins.

Every snap of a twig had them on the edge.

Every rustle of leaves made them jump. Every whisper in the wind made them shudder.

Every—

“Fix-It, are you picking up their signal anywhere?” Bee asked, ~~rudely interrupting the narrator~~ urgently. “I can't take this suspense anymore.”

《 _Negative, Lieutenant Bumblebee. I haven't been able to since earlier when they got to Drift_ 》

“Okay, try widening the the scanners range for both ground and sky...”

While Bee discussed how to find the perps with Fix-It, Grimlock hear something, like a laugh. Then a snicker. He turned to see what it was and—

“Thanks, Fix-It,” Bee shut off his comm and turned to his companion. “Okay, Grim, Fix-It says their signals are near the river—”

“Lucy in the sky wit DIAmonds!!” Grim sang, before he collapsed.

“Frag…” Bee groaned. Grimlock had a bolt planted dead between his optics and the same hazy optic look as he swayed from side to side, just like Drift.

 _Oh, scrap._ He thought before he was bombarded with blaster fire from above and he ran.

“Slow down, Autobot, we've only just begun!” One voice laughed from above.

“Please, Coppa, face us and let's have fun!” Another chuckled from the side.

Bee skidded to a halt when he reached an open clearing and whipped out his blaster.

“Nowhere left to hide, 'Cons!” He shouted. “Come out now with your hands up!”

Nothing but some rustling and some whispers.

“You got till the count of 3. 1!”

_Rustle_

“2!”

_Snap_

“3!”

He heard a _POP_ right before something whizzed past his helm.

“Whoa!” He exclaimed and shot in the direction of the projectile, a sound of a crash and pained moan following afterwards.

“Hey!”

Bee had no time to react when he was sucker punched in the face with the ferocity of a freight train, knocking him back into a tree.

“What the—Oof!” He was rammed into another tree. Each time he got up, he got knocked down again, and slowly but surely, he was beaten to a near pulp. He tried to fight back, but he couldn't see his opponent.

“You think it's funny? Hurting my brother?” He was thrown into the ground. “We just wanted to have fun, but you just want to hurt! Well, I—” He felt a sharp pain in his leg, and when he looked at it, he saw the small bolt that had was driven into it, “—am going to hurt you!”

《 _Lieutenant, I may have left something out earlier_ —》

“What Fix-It? AH!” He yelped, ducking as a log flew past his head. “And make it quick! Send back up while you're at it!”

《 _O-Okay!! So, Rambler is a master of topical-KZZT! Logical-KZZT! Tropical-_ **_CLANK!_ ** _Optical illusion! One of the things she can do with this is make it seem like she isn't there!》_ Fix-It explained.《 _Using your thermal specs is the only way to clearly “see” her.》_

“Thank you!” Bumblebee said in relief and quickly switched on his thermal specs. With his newfound sight, he immediately caught view of femme-like form rushing towards him. He took out his blaster, aiming at her legs. “Not this time, 'Con!”

He pulled the trigger and watched as the figure's legs gave out from under her and she stumbled to the ground in front of him. He switched off the specs and he saw the unconscious white and blue femme. He put cuffs on her and dragged her along until they reached her brother, who was in a similar state, and put cuffs on him, too.

“Nevermind on the back up, Fix-It, I got it under controOOOOLLLLAAAAAAAAAH!” Bee screamed, convulsing violently as waves of electricity surged throughout his entire frame. When it was finally over, he fell back, feeling light as feather, and he crashed on the ground. He tried to get up, but it was like every limb was being weighed down.

One of the few things he could register through blurred vision were three bots, two picking up the twins while the third came towards him.

“Oh, _mon aimée abeille,_ I'm sorry I had to hurt you, but we can't let you take them….” They spoke in a honeyed voice he found strangely hypnotic, albeit familiar. “I know you'll understand that it's just business….You look different….Older. Handsome. I never—”

“C'mon, lova boy, we ain't done got all day!” One of others stated gruffly.

“Hey, don't forget who's boss here, cowboy! I was almost done….Sweet dreams, _mon chéri…_.”

He felt a pair of lips touch his own. He tried to resist, but the more he did, the tireder he got and he drifted off into slumber without a care in the world but one: Who were they and how did one know him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Abeille" means Bee in French


	6. Ch.5

“The signal is coming from….in there,” Strongarm titled her helm in the direction of a nearby cave.

“Wow, dark cave and a full moon tonight….we're gonna die,” Nitrobolt laughed, dryly, and went in with his weapon drawn.

“Look at it this way,” She pointed out, following his example, “we met in a dark cave on a night kind of like this.”

“Okay, that makes things somewhat better,” He nodded to himself and they walked in silence for some time before he spoke up. “Strongarm, I'm starting to wonder if the fugitive is injured. They haven't moved at all from that spot.”

“Yeah, and their signal just seems to fade out a little before fading back in, too,” Strongarm added in agreement. “Do you know first aid?”

“Of course,” He answered, “Why?”

“Just asking,” She looked at the scanner and pointed ahead. “And they're up ahead.”

“How far?”

“A few—”

“S-Stop! Don't c-c-come any c-closer. I-I'm warning y-you….Please,” Someone stammered, weakly. “Don't….hurt me….”

They looked in the direction of the voice and saw a battered mech, trembling with fear and a blaster at hand, pointed at them.

“Put down your weapon, sir,” Strongarm ordered, aiming her own blaster back at him. “We don't want to hurt you more than you already are, just calm down and put the it down. Let us help—”

“I don't want to use this, just leave me alone!” He tried to step forward, but his legs gave out from under him—the “blaster” slipped out of his hand, revealing it to be nothing but a twisted piece of metal—Before he could hit the ground, Nitro caught him and gently sat him down against the cave walls.

“Take it easy there, fella. Strongarm, take off the mask, I think they're scaring him,” He said, removing his.

“Y-You're not going t-to hurt me….?” The mech asked with a small hint of relief, but he still trembled.

“No, don't worry,” Strongarm smiled softly at him, which seemed to calm him because the trembling ceased. Usually, she'd act a little harsher towards a fugitive, but the mech was clearly badly shaken and she didn't want to make that worse. “Just try relaxing, let my partner take care of you. What's your name?”

“Vice.” He answered as Nitro scanned him. “W-Who are you?”

“I'm Strongarm and that's Nitrobolt.”

“Oh, those are nice names,” He mustered up a smile, though clearly, he was in great pain. “You both are so….pretty….”

“Well, Vice, energon levels are critically low,” Nitro remarked, pulling out a cube and handing it to him, “here, drink this—”

“No, no thank you,” Vice pushed it away, “I'm fine. I-I appreciate your kindness, I-I really do, b-but please leave me….let me sleep. T-That's why I came here, t-to rest.”

At first, they were confused. Sleep? He would already be doing that in stasis. But, then it hit them. His refusal to refuel though it was obvious he was in bad shape, his emotional state.

“I don't think we can let you do that—”

“Please, I beg you, let me. I don't want to suffer anymore. The nightmares….the voices….the feeling….I don't want that anymore,” He sighed.

“What happened?” Nitrobolt asked. “Maybe, if you tell us, it'll somehow help….a little….bit.”

Vice looked at them with some doubt. “Y-You really want to hear why?”

They nodded, and for emphasis, they sat down next to him and watched him with anticipation.

“Well….Do you know Thunderhoof?”

“The crime boss?”

“Yes, him. I used to be one of his top agents,” He smiled. “I was loyal as they came, I laid down my life for him on several occasions, and he appreciated that. I was a sort of spy, a head of intel, I was able to get any information. Drug routes of rival bosses, dirt on crooked cops, you name. Absolutely anything….” His smile faded. “I had a tendency of sometimes going out on “field trips” to gather intel to prove if something was correct. This time, I had my sights set on the Council. There were rumors, and I had a need to see if they were real. Thunderhoof warned me not to, he told me he didn't want me dead, gone, or both, and to just forget about. I should've listened.”

“What happened?”

“I, arrogantly, went against his advice,” He sighed. “I remember, I slipped through the security systems of the council building and went undetected. Then I heard something, like screaming, and I went towards it. I saw the Council and one of them was trying to put this kid into a stasis pod. There were two other pods, but they were already occupied by two bots, and he was crying out how he wanted them back. He kept on struggling, and suddenly, one of them hit him. He stopped crying, stopped everything, it was almost like he was dead...I couldn't take it anymore, I couldn't just stay hidden while this happened; he was a basically a sparkling, only a monster would do that to someone so young; I jumped out and tackled the one that had kid. I took the little guy and I tried to get away with him, but they caught me. They threw the kid into the pod and restrained me to a slab. The one that had the kid came up to me. He made these needles come out of his fingers and he began to….he began to….”

Strongarm was about to ask what, but Nitro put a hand on her shoulder and shook his helm at her before looking back at Vice.

“I….I was supposed to forget what happened, but something went wrong….” He continued, and he started to tremble again. “T-They put me in stasis….and I woke up on this p-planet. I w-was f-fine, at first, but when I tried to sleep….The n-nightmares came. They never stopped….So I came here to wait….”

He pushed himself up, slightly, and leaned his head, taking in a deep, pained vent and shutting his optics.

“You know….I've seen a lot of strange things in my life,” He spoke up after a moment. “When I fought in the Great War—I was an Autobot then—I saw this youngling one day in a med bay. He was sitting next to this mech and holding his hand. The mech was hooked up to this machine, it was like it was keeping him alive. He told the kid _‘Make the pain go away, make it all go away. I give you my permission.’_ And then the kid began to sing to him….and the light in his optics began to fade away and he smiled like the pain had left….then he was gone….It was so peaceful, like he had fallen asleep….I would give anything to have that….”

Strongarm took notice, right after Vice finished his tale, that Nitrobolt's features had suddenly taken on that cold, distant look, like earlier, that came whenever he had something to hide, mostly about himself.

“Nitro?” She said, grabbing him by the shoulders and gently shaking him. “Nitro, what's wrong?”

This seemed to work, because at an instant, he jolted and look (almost) normal as he brought his gaze to meet hers.

“Strongarm,” He spoke to her in a stern tone a creator would use on their offspring, “can you give me and Vice a moment to….talk. Actually, meet me outside, okay?”

“What's going on, Nitrobolt, what aren't you telling me?” She squinted her optics at him suspiciously.

“....Please?” He asked, this time smiling at her warmly. “Just trust me on this.”

She kept her optics fixed on him in an unwavering stare, looking displeased. She hated when he did this, when he acted so cryptic, He had the nerve to say “trust me” when it just made him look more suspicious.

“Strongarm, please,” He pleaded, “I'll explain later, just trust me.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.”

“Okay….I'll hold you to that,” She said as she got up to leave.

“Goodbye, Cadet Strongarm.” Vice smiled at her. “May you one day become a police captain.”

“How….?”

“It's easy to tell.”

“Okay….” She looked back one last time before she officially made herself scarce….from sight. She went far enough to be out of sight, but not too far out of audial shot. Nitro was hiding something, and this time, she was going to find out what….this time.

“....Take my hands and look me straight in the optics,” She heard him say. “Yes, just like this….Are you sure you want this?”

“More than anything….Help me sleep.”

“As you wish, Vice….and thank you again for what you tried to do for my brother. I can never repay you….”

“You are now….please, sing.”

She heard Nitrobolt take a deep vent and sigh. He began to hum and vocalize, his voice rolling smoothly over each step as it climbed into a crescendo. Then he began to sing.

 _“Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep. I'm tired and I….I want to go to bed….”_ He crooned softly, “ _and then leave me alone. Don't try to wake me in the morning 'cause I will be gone….Don't feel bad for me….I want you to know….deep in the cell of my heart, I will feel so glad to go….Sing to me, oh, sing to me….”_

It was beautiful, it was graceful, it was powerful, it was haunting….something about it made her want to cry. And she did, she had no control over her emotions for some odd reason.

 _“There is another world….There is a better world….”_ He continued. But, there was another voice. It was weaker and barely noticeable, but one could tell it was filled with an overwhelming feeling of joy. It was Vice. _“There is a better world….Well, there must be….Well, there must be….There just had to be….Bye….”_

Vice’s voice started to fade at that.

_“Bye….”_

It got weaker and fainter, turning to a whisper.

_“Bye bye...Bye…”_

Then he was gone.

□■□■□■

Nitrobolt picked up the lifeless body of Vice, keeping mind to do so carefully, and he made his way out. When he reached the mouth of the cave, he froze and took a moment to consider what he had just done and how Strongarm would react. She would understand once he explained, she would understand once she knew. He would tell her everything….but then she might hate him. _Primus,_ He silently prayed, _please don’t take her away. Please, have her understand…._

With that in mind, he went out into the open and nearly jumped at the surprise of the femme standing against a rock, frowning at him with teary optics.

“Strongarm?”

“Nitrobolt,” She wiped away the tears with the back of her hand, “what did you do?” She asked, though she already knew. She stared at the lifeless corpse he still held and shuddered. There was a soft smile plastered on his face and he looked so peaceful, like he had just fallen asleep, except he was never going to wake up again.

“I….did what I had to,” He sighed, and in a silent plea, he beckoned her to walk with him and she did, because no matter how upset she was at him, she wanted an explanation.

After what seemed like a millennia of silence, she let out a huff. “Well, I’m waiting.”

“Strongarm, I don’t know how to explain this to you. You see I….” He faltered, “I just….”

“You killed him Nitrobolt!” She cried out angrily. “We could’ve helped him!”

“There was nothing we could’ve done to help him, Strongarm, his mind was already beyond damaged. A physical wound is one thing, damage to the psyche is another! Do you even know what was done to him?!” He asked. He took her stunned silence as a no and continued. “Mnemosurgery is a skill one has to enter a person’s mind and through that they can view and edit memories, even change who the person is. Usually, the recipient of this surgery will be fine but _if and only if_ it is done properly. If it is done incorrectly or interrupted, it could leave lasting damage on the mind that is almost irreversible….there was nothing we could have done for Vice without hurting him even more.”

They went back to silence as they continued to walk on for a couple minutes more.

“....How did you kill him with your voice?” She spoke up.

Nitro came to a halt and she stopped with him. He muttered to himself, seemingly debating, before he turned to her.

He looked at her and she looked back. He furrowed his brow and she did the same. He closed his optics and sighed, and she did, too. He opened his optics and, well you could guess.

“Strongarm, I’m what you call an outlier—do you know what that is?”

She nodded, “I kinda guessed you were.”

“When I sing, and if I focus, I could do many things. I could manipulate thoughts and emotions, I can control a person, I can draw them to me, like I accidentally did with you that fateful night. I can give them pain or bliss. I can even….” He paused and turned away. “I can even make them die. This came in handy in the war, it gave patients a chance to have a peaceful, somewhat happy death.”

“So the kid in the story….was you?”

“Yes….”

“If you could kill others with that, how many times have you—”

He shook his helm, “I only used it for mercy and in the medbay, never in battle. I'm not the kind of mech. I don’t find pleasure in doing that, you should already know that.” He said, slightly offended.

“I do! I do! And I’m sorry if it sounds like I’m making accusations but….why didn't you tell me….” 

“Strongarm, certain things in my past are very delicate and I don't like talking about them. If I did tell you, you wouldn't understand.”

“What wouldn't I understand—”

“Shh!” He cut her off with a hiss, shoving Vice into her arms and staring out into the darkness ahead.

“Nitrobolt, what is—Hey!”

He had opened the groundbridge behind her and pushed her in.

“Strongarm, go home, I love you and I'll call you later—”

“FREEZE!”

“Come at me, glitch! Rrragh!”

That was the last thing she heard before she was back in the bunker and the bridge closed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I took the opportunity to display the fact that Strongarm and Nitro's relationship isn't always sunshine and rainbows. There are times where they don't exactly meet on the same level. Nitrobolt often keeps Strongarm in the dark about certain things about himself, mainly because he doesn't want to drive her away, and he tends to at sometimes be a little overbearing and protective of her, even when he knows she is perfectly capable of handling herself. This is because Nitrobolt has had so many people he's loved or been fond of taken away he's afraid of losing another.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, on a second note, please comment, feedback helps.


	7. Ch. 6

Bumblebee stared blankly at essentially nothing, immersed in deep thought.

The strange encounter with that mech had been in the previous day, Sideswipe had long since found him and he had woken up. Rambler and Gambler were gone without a trace, spirited away by those mysterious persons.

It was late into the night now, and he still thought about it. Not even the Decepticon they had to deal with could free his processor.

He knew who they were, this wasn't the first time they'd crossed paths. They weren't Autobots, but they weren't Decepticons. They weren't entirely good nor entirely bad. They were just grey.

Frustratingly, though, they were just disembodied voices, optics without a faces. But, at least the voices had nicknames—they were Cowboy, Smooth Criminal, Deep Red, Lady, and Rascal—not that it helped.

“Bumblebee?”

Bee quickly brought himself out of his thoughts and saw Diego—dressed in his shorts and nothing more—looking up at him.

“Hi,” He grinned.

“Hi. Diego,” Bee replied, “shouldn't you be in bed? It's late for a little guy like you.”

“I'm not sleepy and I thought you'd like some company,” He sat down next to him, pulling out a juice box from his pocket and taking a sip. “Who are Strongarm and Nitrobolt?”

“How do you know about them?” He asked, somewhat confused. “We haven't mentioned them at all to you.”

“Sideswipe talks in his recharge, sometimes about them. He's always asking Strongarm ‘ _Why?_ ’ and he threatens Nitrobolt a lot,” He answered. “Were they team members?”

“Yes.” He nodded.

“Are they dead?”

“No. At least, I hope not.”

“Were they taken?”

“No.”

“So….they left?”

“....Yes.”

“Why?”

Bee sighed, “Diego, I….I don't think you'd be able to understand—”

“Yes, I can! I can understand! I'm not a baby! Stop. Treating. Me. Like. One!” He snapped with the ferocity of a rabid dog, making the mech jolt in surprise and, for a moment, frightened of the boy. “I helped repair your leg earlier, that has to mean something about my maturity and intelligence!"

“Okay, okay! You don't have to get excited,” He slowly brought his arms down, which he had held up to shield himself from the wild child's outburst. “Strongarm was a police cadet that was with me along with Sideswipe when we first arrived here on Earth, Nitrobolt was a fugitive who Strongarm befriended later on. Eventually, they created a fake identity for him so he could join the team. He did seem odd to me, he had training I hadn't seen in other cadets, it was almost like he was trained for war and not patrolling the streets. But I shrugged it off, he was a great asset and everyone liked him—well, except for Sideswipe. Then one day he went missing. Strongarm went ballistic, and we tried looking for him right away but couldn't find him. Eventually, he was found a week and a half later near death—”

Diego gasped, “Was he okay?”

“Yes, he was okay after we worked on him, but he remained catatonic. Afterwards, we tried finding out who could have done it by learning more about him. That's when we finally saw he wasn't who we thought he was; a fugitive. I was so upset because I thought Strongarm knew better and because she had lied to all of us. I confronted her about it and she confessed what she had been doing, but said she had only done it because he was an innocent bot. But, instead of listening to her, I let my anger drive me to do something I wish I hadn't. We were putting him stasis when he suddenly woke up. I'll never forget how scared he looked, how betrayed and upset….” He sighed, “then he broke free and howled. I think we all went unconscious and when we woke up Strongarm and Nitrobolt were gone. We tried looking for them, we thought we got a lead weeks ago, but it turned up nothing….”

“So you just stopped looking for them?” Diego frowned.

“No, we're still looking for them, but not anywhere nearby,” Bee replied. “Fix-It's trying to upgrade the scanners to a wider range to find them.”

“Oh! Will that also help you find my mommy and daddy, too?” He chimed enthusiastically with hopeful flint in his eyes.

“Unless they're Cybertronian, it won't.”

“Oh….” He murmured and looked down as he started to sniffle.

“Diego, don't cry….shh….” He used one digit to gently lift his head while another wiped his tears away. “We'll find them.”

“How, Bumblebee? I can't even remember their faces! I can't remember anyone, they're just shadows! I can't even really remember how they were taken, but I can hear them screaming clear as day and I can feel being torn from the safety of their arms before nothing! Then I wake up on the bed of the river and they're gone….I don't even know if they're even alive....it's hopeless,” He sobbed.  

Bee tried to say something, anything to offer comfort, but nothing came out. To find someone you need a face, and as the boy had mentioned, he couldn't even remember them. Fix-It had tried looking for couples with a little boy fitting Diego's description, and they did find one couple who were reported missing along with their child….but it was from 1984, at least 45 years old, that little boy would be in his 50s by now. Diego was right, it was a little hopeless.

But they were still trying.

“….Why don't you tell me about them? Let's try remembering the good things, the things that make you happy,” Bee suggested. “Tell me about your family.”

Diego took a while to respond, but eventually he nodded, “Lots of uncles and aunts, my teachers as much as my family, but my parents were my best. Mommy was an inventor and my daddy was like her assistant, and they were always working on something. When they weren't busy, though, they'd sing me songs, tell me stories, and they taught me lots of things on the side. Art, language, science, architecture, war, dance, courage, justice, valor, integrity….everything.”

“They sound pretty great….why don't you sing one of the songs they sung to you for me? I'd love to hear one.”

□■□■□■

“Hey, Henry….” Nitrobolt said as he pulled up into his garage. “Got enough pop for one more guy?”

“Strongarm kicked you out the house?!” Henry exclaimed, handing his holoform a can from the cooler next to him. “This is more serious than I thought!”

“No, I just chose to leave her alone. I mean, she's not alone, Hank is with her….but you're right,” He took a huge gulp and groaned, “it's serious. That girl can hold a grudge….”

“She's a young woman, er, _femme_ , Nitrobolt, expect it. I've heard from both my parents that I was special case when I had my bad days,” He laughed.

Nitro shrugged.

“What's wrong?”

“I messed up, Henry, and I feel terrible,” Nitro sighed and put his head down. “She'll never trust me again….”

“She will and she'll forgive you, Nitrobolt,” Henry patted him on the back. “She just needs time and space, then she'll talk to you. And you're doing both pretty well.”

He muttered, “Hope so….”

Henry patted him on the back again and leaned back into his chair before asking, “Want another pop?”

His avatar disappeared.

“Guess that means no….Wanna watch a movie? Go for a drive? Maybe go to a drive in movie?”

Silence.

“How about I give you a nice wash and wax while we watch a movie? It'll soothe the nerves and rejuvenate your—”

The motorcycle answered with a loud and eager rev of his engines.

He chuckled softly, “That's just what I wanted to hear. Wanna see _Silver Bullet_? I know you got a thing for werewolves.”

□■□■□■

“Why are we doing this?”

“Because….it's nice.”

Strongarm, in holoform, was sitting on the floor while Hank was on the bed above her brushing her hair.

“You see, whenever I've gotten upset, me and my dad sit down somewhere comfortable and talk while he brushes and braids my hair,” Hank added. “That helps me calm down and I think it'll do the same for you. But, since your hair is too short and curly to braid, we'll just stick to brushing it….How do you feel?”

Strongarm frowned, “Still upset….but calmer.”

“Good. Now, let's talk.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, it's apart of the process. What's got you so ticked off at Bolts?”

“Well….he's been keeping things from me and I don't like it. We're supposed to be a team! It makes me think about what else he's hiding….and if he's lied about everything else he's told me. I don't know whether to trust him or not. My spark says yes but my mind says no and it just hurts….”

“Hm,” Hank continued to brush her hair for another few minutes before she slid off the the bed to land on the floor next to her. “Why your hair so curly? I thought this was a reflection of your personality. Nothing about that screams curly, sometimes hard to maintain, hair to me….”

“Uh….Honestly, I don't know,” She shrugged, feeling a little thrown off that the conversation had turned somewhere else.

“Maybe it's supposed to be ironic?”

“Perhaps….”

“Anyway, I kinda know how you feel.”

“How so?”

“For years, I was told my mom was dead by my dad and I believed him. But one day, about 3 years ago, I got a letter in the mail. I thought it was my grandma since she always writes me letters. But surprise, it wasn't her. It was from my mom to me, and she wrote that she was sorry she never was in my life and may never be and she hoped my dad was raising me right and stuff. I was really, really, extremely….pissed off….that my dad lied to me my whole life,” She frowned. “I didn't talk to him for like a week. When I finally did, he explained that after I was born my mom freaked out and realized she wasn't ready for kids, so she left. Dad just told me she died so he could protect me from the truth.”

“I'm sorry.”

“I'm not upset about it, I never needed her. I have my dad, and now you guys, too,” She smiled. “Anyway, I think that's kinda what Bolts is doing for you. He doesn't want you to feel scared about anything or anyone, especially him.”

Strongarm nodded, and was silent for a moment as she thought, before smiling, “You want me to braid your hair, Hank?”

“Sure….you know how to, right?”

“How hard could it be?”

□■□■□■

Just a one last delivery and I could go home, Dale kept telling himself as he drove his truck down the long, almost endless, lonely stretch of road.

It had been a long day, he didn't know how he even managed to stay awake—it was the coffee he had to thank for that.

He just wished he wasn't the only person on the road, it made him feel so alone and anxious.

Wait! Could it be? Headlights up ahead and in the side mirrors. That meant other cars, and by the looks of it, more than one! Maybe this wasn't going to be a lonely ride after all for him and he felt a sense of relief.

But he couldn't help but wonder one thing; why were they going so fast and coming little too close for comfort?

And then it hit him—literally, all at once, they rammed into him. He tried to regain control, he really did, but it was too much at once; he veered off the road and one last hit sent him—he had forgotten to put on his seat belt….he regretted that oversight now—flying through the windshield.

He didn't know how long he tumbled down that ditch, just that it hurt like hell. When the world finally stopped spinning, he felt so tired. Maybe he would just rest his eyes for a moment.

The last thing he registered were tall creatures that looked to be made completely of metal.

But that was probably a hallucination, because one of them looked like a dog.


	8. Ch. 7

 

 

 

> **SERIES OF ARMORED TRUCK ROBBERIES LEAVES AUTHORITIES STUMPED AND 2 DEAD**
> 
> _Last night there were over 15 robberies of delivery trucks for CrownTech Industries. The trucks were delivering hardwired chips, some military grade, all of which were taken. It is reported by the living victims, who are in critical condition at Crown City General, that they were rammed off the road by a group of vehicles while they were alone on a road. With no leads on as to who could have done this, authorities are baffled._
> 
> _The Anti-Tech League have taken responsibility for this attack, but their claim has been proven false due to inconsistencies and the fact none the members even own vehicles._
> 
> _The victims also reported that before they went unconscious, they all saw large metallic creatures. Though, this is believed to be nothing more than just a coincidence. (More on this story on page 5)_

* * *

The bespectacled man put down the newspaper print out and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long sigh.

The desk in front of him had photos, newspaper clippings, and print outs of conspiracy websites strewn about.

But, it couldn't be after so long.

It had been 16 years.

From all over the globe, there were supposed sightings, the most concentrated reports coming from around the Crown City area.

He couldn't deny the truth, especially when it was right in front of him in black and white pictures.

It had been 16 years, 16 long and uneventful years….why now?

Regardless of the question it was time to make some calls. He took out his phone and dialed the first number that came to mind.

“Hello?....Yeah it's me….Good, I've been good and yourself?....Nice….Listen I need you to….you WHAT!? You already knew and you didn't—I don't care if it's personal! We made a deal and—” He stopped when he heard the other line go dead.

□■□■□■

Meanwhile, in Denny's scrapyard, the bots were watching as the same news was being broadcast on TV. There was a sort of stunned silence and an air of dread that hung over them all as they listened.

“ _This just in, two more victims have passed…._ ” said the newscaster. “ _Jillian Johnson, 28, and Devin Billups, 39_.”

This had never happened before. They hadn't heard of people actually dying. There was a fear of it, sure, but not knowing gave them a sort of hope it never happened.

“Dad,” Russell spoke up, “were they anyone you knew? The ones that died.”

Denny quickly shook his head, “No, thank God. But some of my friends are at that hospital and I'm going,” He stood up and made a beeline to get to his truck, disappearing in down an aisle.

“....Russell, can you change the channel? It's getting progressively more depressing here,” Sideswipe asked. “Better yet, turn it off.”

Russell nodded in agreement and quickly shut it off.

“So….any ideas on who did it?” Grimlock asked. “'Cause I have a good guess.”

“We've already looked at groups that were arrested, but none of them show an interest is in electronics. The ones that do are either on another prison ship or incarcerated back on Cybertron,” Fix-it said.

“What about about the group Bumblebee encountered? They may have something to to do with it,” Drift suggested.

“Perhaps,” Bee paused and thought for a moment. “But we don't know who they are….or what they look like.”

“We can transmit your previous optical feed onto a screen and see who it could be,” Diego suggested. “Even if the image was blurred we can enhance it and see who they are—”

They heard Denny and someone else scream bloody murder.

“Denny!”

“Dad!” Diego and Russell shouted respectively as they ran towards the gate to the scrapyard.

□■□■□■

“You jerk, you scared me!” Denny scowled at the man in front of him, who was gasping for air and trying to catch his breath after his screams died down. “What were you doing wandering around my property!?”

“I was looking for you and you scared me, too. It's your fault for leaving the door open!” He retorted before fully regaining his composure, fixing his shades, adjusting his tie, and combing back his slick black hair. “So, how's the discriminating nostalgist business treating you and how are you doing, Dennis?”

“Pretty well on both, actually. How's the movie business?” He asked.

“Treacherously glamorous, emphasis on treacherous,” He replied. “Can't believe I made it through this town without being followed….By the way, who are the kids standing behind you?” He asked about Russell, who was gaping at him in admiration and surprise, and Diego, who just looked confused. “I know the one in the blue sweater is your son….Richard? Rouser? Reginald? Ramadan? Rick….? Whatever his name is, he certainly grew. Last I saw him, he was just a toddler and couldn't even reach my knee.”

“His name is Russell,” He smiled. “Russell, this is an old acquaintance of mine, you might remember him—”

“I-I can't believe it, you're Adam Worth! The vampire _Original Sin_ , the killer from _Mad World_ , the spy from _L'appel du Vide_ —You're in everything! I'm your biggest fan! And you know me and my—!?” He gasped. “You never told me, Dad!”

“Never came up.”

“Butch told me about you, kid. Says you got a good leg but you could work on your throws,” Adam said.

“You know Butch, too?”

“He's Butch's uncle,” Denny told him.

“What?!” Russell exclaimed in disbelief. “So you mean….”

_“I can't wait to see that new Adam Worth movie! I've been saving up for it crazy for months and I finally have enough,” Hank said. “What about you, Rusty?”_

_“I'm almost there. Butch?”_

_“I already saw the movie. He's my uncle so I got first dibs from him,” He answered nonchalantly. “You guys could just come to my place and watch it for free.”_

_“Oh yeah,” Hank grinned. “We could invite the whole team and_ — _”_

_“That's funny, Butch,” Russell snickered. “You, related to Adam Worth. The movie is not even out yet.”_

_Hank frowned, “Rusty, he's actually_ — _”_

_“Shoot! I gotta go. See ya!”_

“....he was telling the truth!?”

“My biggest fan next to you. Here, Russell,” He took off his shades, revealing bicolored eyes, and put them on him, “a little gift for a fan.”

Russell nearly choked and his words of appreciation were lost in his throat and all that came out was a small squeak.

“You're welcome,” Adam patted the top of his head and turned to the still confused Diego. “And who's this delightful little gentleman?

When he noticed he was being looked at, he snapped out of it and he smiled at Adam, “Hi, I'm Diego. What's your name?”

“Adam Zachary Worth, but some people call me Zee,” He smiled back. “And it is very nice to meet you.”

Denny quickly noticed Adam looking Diego with a sort of immediate deep fondness he didn't see when he met Russell. He had even crouched in front of him so they could be at the same level, whereas with Russell he just looked down at him.

“....You look like a secret agent,” Diego commented.

“I am and you know what—” He pulled down his sleeve, revealing a watch and took it off and put it on him, “you could have this and be one, too. It's my absolute favorite and it's very special to and here's why….” He leaned in and whispered something in the boys ear while he listened intently. “And one more thing,” He reached in his pocket and handed him something else Denny couldn't see.

“Thank you, Zee!” Diego embraced him and, to further Denny's surprise, Adam hugged him back before the child went with Russell, who glared at him.

“See you again soon, little one.”

“What did you give him?” Denny immediately asked.

“Sweet kid. Cute one, too,” Adam stood back and answered. “Oh and I gave him a camera pen like the one I used in that movie. Where'd you find him? Butch mentioned a little something to me about it, but not enough.”

“I found him on the street and my heart just went out to him.”

“Looks a little like my nephew.”

“Butch?” Denny asked, confused, though, it explained his demeanor around Diego. “In complection, maybe, but in looks I don't see the resemblance.”

“No, not him, I have another, but we haven't seen him or his parents in years….” He murmured. “Anyway, Dennis, I take it you know what happened last night and you're going to the hospital? I was already on my way there and I was going to give you a ride—”

“I still have a car, you know.”

“Oh, refuse my kind offer. How rude,” He frowned and walked away, out the gate. “I'll meet you there.” He said as he walked out the gate and Denny heard him drive away.

Which reminded him, he needed to go to, too.

“Keep an eye on the boys and the yard while I'm gone!” He shouted out to the bots and turned to Russell and Diego. “And you two behave. Russell, be nice to Diego. Diego, be nice to Russell. I don't want a repeat of last week.”

They nodded and waited for Denny to leave before they closed the gate.

“Let me see what he gave you!” Russell tried to snatch the item from his hand, but failed as he quickly stepped on his foot.

While he yelped and held his foot in pain, Diego stuffed whatever it was he had in his pocket and scowled, “No! This is mine! He already gave you his sunglasses.”

“But he gave you more! His watch and something else, so let me see—Ow!” Diego stepped on his other foot and made a break for it down the aisle that lead to the command center.

“Bumblebee! Bumblebee!” He cried out as Russell chased him. “Help me!”

Bumblebee sighed and lowered his hand to the ground, letting him quickly climb on, lifting him up and putting him on his shoulder before Russell could catch him.

“What happened now?” He asked and both quickly explained with conflicting views. “I see. Russell, you should abide by Diego's wishes next time and quit messing with him. You've been doing this since he came to live with us and it has to end now. And you,” He looked at the younger boy, “stop inflicting physical pain against him whenever he messes with you.”

“Okay.”

“I mean it.”

“I do, too!”

“Good. Now, I want to congratulate you on your idea. We were able to identify the bot I saw. Fix-It, fill him in.”

The minicon nodded and pulled up a file next to the enhanced image procured from Bumblebee's optical feed. It was still kind of dark but he could make out the distinct outline of the bots face and features.

“Zugzwang was a mercenary during the war for Cybertron and he'd do any job for the right price,” Fix-It said. “He had a team, too, the Angles- _KZZT!_ Pringles- _PZZT!_ _CLANK!_ Angels of Sin. On Earth, though, he and his team gave up on the mercenary lifestyle. They haven't been seen since the war ended.”

“Until now,” Drift said. “So here begs the question: Are he and his team back to their old tricks?”

“Probably,” Sideswipe said. “I mean, he did tell Bee it was just business—Did you guys have a, uh, thing going on? He did call you something before he kissed you—”

“ _Mon aimée abeille_ means my beloved bee in French,” Grimlock interrupted, earning confused looks from everyone. “Russell put on a French movie channel for me by accident and I didn't know how to change it….But hey, I actually learned something from it so it's not bad.”

“Oh....and, anyway, no. He's just deeply infatuated with me," He answered. "I thought it end after all this time but it's still going strong….unfortunately….Let's just get back to the subject on hand! People are dying here!”

“Hey, I just noticed something!” Diego exclaimed. “There's two blank spaces in that file when it lists his team. Does that mean anything?”

Bee thought for a monent before his helm snapped up in realization, “I remember something. During the war, they had a pair of twins on their team. Their names were Arson and Anarchy….Fix-It! Look them up but also bring up Rambler and Gambler!”

Fix-It quickly brought up the latter's mugshots and the former's headshots. They were dead ringers for each other,aside from different color schemes, you could tell they were that same people. Arson looked like an silver and red Rambler with flame decals, and Anarchy looked like a red and silver Gambler with lighting decals.

“This probably gets rid of the Angels of Sin as suspects, they just wanted to retrieve their former members and they couldn't have been the ones to do the attacks. They all had arrived on Earth centuries before we did along with Nightshade and Onyx, and they were very fond of this planet and its people. This place is home to them and it wouldn't surprise me if they never left,” Bee remarked and sighed. “So we're back to square one….”

“....I think it was Steeljaw,” Grimlock spoke up. “I'm just sayin’, we haven't heard or seen the guy in months….maybe he's planning something and chips are apart of it.”

“That seems very probable. Steeljaw and his Pack would have no qualms in hurting humans considering they want to take this world for themselves,” Drift agreed.

“And he does have experience in the electronics department considering pre-incarceration he built subsonic generators from scratch along with other things,” Bee added. “I call more patrols. Finding out where Steeljaw and his Pack are hiding needs to be the top priority if it wasn't before.”

□■□■□■

_He couldn't move._

_He tried so hard, but he couldn't._

_The restraints were too strong, the more he moved, the more it paralyzed him._

_He couldn't save them._

_‘....Let me do it! I must have the last laugh, even if it kills me….I've gotten slightly better since the last time. They won't lose their minds like he did….This will all be just a bad dream….’_

_No!_

_He looked to the slab next to him, at Nitrobolt._

_“I'm sorry, I can't—”_

_The other shook his helm. “It's okay….”_

_“But we—”_

_“Shh….Just close your eyes and accept it….”_

_He wanted to scream and shout, tell him he couldn't just give up so easily. But he was right, there was nothing they could do._

_“I….” He tried to say. “I—”_

_“I know….Me, too….” Nitrobolt smiled softly before closing his optics. “From here to eternity, forever and always.”_

_"And back again,” He added, smiling back as he closed his optics, too._

_He kept them closed, even as he heard Nitrobolt scream._

* * *

“Eyo, Steeljaw!” Thunderhoof shouted.

Steeljaw jolted awake. Just a dream. It was just a dream.

“Yes?” He answered back calmly, ignoring the look of absolute rage on the other face. “And….what are you doing in my quarters?”

“Droppin' dese things off in ere like yuh asked. And anudder thing, we was out all fraggin’ night gettin dese stupid things for ya—and we also had tuh hide from de cops, damn glitches were lookin' fawh us all night. Meanwhile, youse was ovah here gettin' your beauty rest, sleepin' like a baby,” Thunderhoof scowled.

“I was tired—”

“Well so am I butcha doan see me—”

“—and as for the authorities, shouldn't you be used to that by now? Being that you were one of the biggest crime bosses back on Cybertron….or was that nothing but a pack of lies served by the media and you?” The wolficon snarked back.

“Ey! I'll have you know dat I—”

“Splendid. Now get out,” He ordered and pushed past him. He didn't have time for this little spat, he had to get to work.

Rome wasn't built in a day, as he heard some human say. He had already wasted enough time mourning someone who probably wasn't even dead, it was time to get back on track.

“Ey, I was tawhkin' tuh you—”

Steeljaw crouched in front of the several cases which held the hardwired chips and looked through them, ignoring him. “Seems that some of them are damaged….but that's only a few so that's okay,” He muttered. “I could try to make some more with the things Fracture brought earlier—Why are you still here?”

“You and I got somethin’ tuh talk about! I am tired yuh actin' all high and mighty, tinkin' your above it all!” He fumed. “You—”

“Get out," Steeljaw said again, uninterested as ever. “I really don't have time for this.”

“Oh no, your gonna listen and stop bein' a little gli— _Hsh!”_

Steeljaw had pressed a blaster against his neck.

“W-Where d'ja get dat?”

“From an old friend….Now, _brother,_ I'll ask you again nicely _,_ ” He said kindly, _softly_ , as he looked at him straight in the optics and slowly, _gently,_ pulled back the trigger in a silent threat. “Get. Out.”

Thunderhoof vigorously nodded, tripping over his peds but never falling as he ran out.

Steeljaw looked at the blaster and let out a small snicker that turned to a laugh. He brought the blaster to his helm and pulled the trigger, letting the paint splatter all over. He really had to take the time, if it ever even came, to thank Nitrobolt for this little gun.

His laughs eventually died down as he got to work, turning into soft chuckles before nothing. 

That dream. Was it even dream? It felt so real. What if, possibly, it was a memory that was lost? No! It couldn't be. That never happened. It was dream and nothing more.

....but why did he keep having it?


	9. Ch. 8

“Good morning, Hank,” Strongarm, still in holoform, said as the girl sat at the kitchen table. “How'd you sleep?”

“Great! Your bed is very comfortable,” She remarked. “You?”

“I was trying to fix that training drone that's down there,” She answered while giving her a plate of strawberry pancakes with eggs and sausage. “It's usually Nitro’s department to fix things, but I thought I'd give it a try. Now I've fixed my fair share of drones back at the academy, but that one was a little too advanced….If you look outside, you'll see the large dent in my door and the broken windshield.”

Hank took a quick glance out the window and cringed. “It fought you?”

“Yeah, after I connected the wrong wires it took the form of Megatron and beat the scrap outta me for a few seconds before it shut off….Hey, so you like the pancakes?”

She quickly nodded. “How are you and Bolts so good at cooking?”

She shrugged. “The directions? Natural talent?

“Probably.”

_BEEPBEEP_

“Anyone home?” Henry called from the outside.

Hank got up and bolted for the door and Strongarm shut off her holoform to meet her outside and she transformed.

“Morning to you, Henry,” Strongarm greeted.

“Same to you, Strongarm,” He replied back.

“Hi, Dad!” Hank tackled him in hug that had enough force to knock him back a little.

“Whoa! Getting a little too strong there for your old ma—Henrietta Cassidy Costin, what have you done to your hair?” He exclaimed with shock.

An outside observer would have noticed, as Henry did, Hank's hair was a lot shorter than usual; to be exact, it was now in a pixie cut.

“Strongarm tried to braid my hair and it didn't end well. But she cut it pretty good,” She grinned. “You like it?”

“....I'll miss braiding it….” He sighed sadly before smiling softly. “But you look very nice. I'd say this fits you better.”

“Hey….where's Nitro?” Strongarm spoke up, finally noticing her two wheeled friend was nowhere to be seen.

“That's what I came to get you about. Have you listened or seen the news?”

Both shook their heads/helms.

“Well, there were some accidents last night, all the result of some mysterious vehicles ramming the trucks off the road, and the cargo was taken with each Some people have died from their injuries,” He explained grimly. “Nitrobolt and I suspect it's those Decepticons and he's already at the hospital investigating.”

□■□■□■

“Don't….Don't cry Shannon,” Nitrobolt—as Nico—tried to comfort to his boss, who sobbed uncontrollably over her son, who unfortunately had been apart of the ones who passed. “Devin would want you to be happy….Remember how he always told you to smile?”

“I guess….But now he's not here!” She wailed. “What am I going to do? I can't even afford to give him a decent funeral after all the bills….This place bled me dry and for what? They couldn't even save him….”

“....Shannon,” He took her hands and gently held them in his own, “I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I should've been there to protect him, but I wasn't. But, I just need you to know that I won't let it happen again….Goodbye, Shannon, I'll see you later.”

Nico released her hands and walked away into the hussle and bussle of the hospital halls before she could ask what he meant. That's when she felt something was in her hand and heard it crinkle. She looked down and gasped at the sight of a check for more than a million dollars.

“Well I'll be damned….Nico! I-I can't accept this, wait up!” She went after him but he had already disappeared. “Where'd he go?”

Meanwhile, somewhere else on the same a floor, Denny and Adam were sitting in a waiting room along with Butch and two other men. The first was tall and slender with a messy mop of black hair with grey streaks despite being visibly young, Dego. He was also still wearing his thick black shades. The second was not as tall but close enough, and while the other was slender and young, he was very husky in figure and looked to be in his late thirties to early-forties. He was currently slumped over, quietly sobbing while Dego patted his back.

“Uncle Dego, you think Uncle Pippin will ever feel better?” Butch asked Dego about the second man.

“This isn't the first time he's had to let go and say goodbye, Butch. He'll feel better….” He answered back quietly. “I hope.”

“Ah swear, when ah find the sonsa bitches who did this to Jillian ah'm gonna rip their hearts out!” Pippin burst out furiously for a moment before he slumped back over and continued to cry.

“I forgot JJ's name was Jillian….” Denny murmured. “I was supposed to sell her a vintage TV set this morning….At least Dale’s still okay.”

“He better be and that goes for everyone in this place!” Adam frowned. “I didn’t just spend half a million dollars on them all so they could die. They’re all gonna get the best of the best. No one else is gonna die today….Where's Anita?”

“Who's Anita?”

“The woman who was just here, remember? Butch, do you know where your mother w—” Adam stopped when he noticed he was gone. “Where'd he go now?”

□■□■□■

“You're lucky I found you first, Mom!” Butch grinned up at the woman as they walked up to a pair of vending machines. “And can I get a Coke?”

“I've been doing this type of stuff since before you were  a thought. If anything, you almost got me caught, you little rascal. Do you want some chips with that?” Anita asked, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a couple of dollars.

“Doritos.”

“Okay, one Coke and Doritos coming up….and here you go.”

“Thanks Mom,” He opened up the chips and popped one in his mouth. “Want one?”

She shook her head.

They went down the hall to back with the others when they bumped into Hank.

“Butch,” Hank greeted him with a quick smile. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Hank. I'm with my family. You?”

“My Dad. Is this your mom?” She motioned to her and he nodded.

“So you're Hank? Butch has told me a lot about you,” Anita smiled softly. “It's nice to finally meet you….May I say that you look very familiar.”

“You do, too,” Hank squinted.

“Where's your dad? I may know him.”

She was answered by Henry calling his daughter.

“Hank, don't run off next….” Henry slowed and went into a daze as his eyes locked on Anita and the same with her as she looked back.

“Mom/Dad, do you know each other?” Both their kids respectively asked simultaneously as they inched closer to each other, until they were face to face.

“Anita,” Henry smiled

“Henry,” She smiled back.

They pulled each other into a warm embrace, looking like a pair of lovers finally reunited as they shared a kiss.

“Oh, I missed you so much….It's been too long.”

“Too long? Six years is basically a millennium!” Anita exclaimed.

“A whole _millennium_ and you still look as beautiful as when I last saw you.”

“You, too. Though, I have to say this stubble makes you look even more sex…y....” She trailed off, both her and Henry remembering that they were not at all alone and they took note of the two confused children staring up at them. “Oh.”

They quickly released each other and smiled nervously while laughing.

“We can explain.”

“Yeah….I'll just go back with the uncles and Mr. Denny….” Butch said, slightly uncomfortable. “Wanna come, Hank?”

Hank nodded but lingered for a moment, looking at Anita and taking in all her features. Anita was tall and fit with smooth dark skin and shoulder-length black hair, that was straightened at the top but curled the rest of the way, and a pair of green eyes.

Hank _had_ seen Anita before, in a bunch of pictures with her dad from a vacation he took a some of years ago.

“Hank?”

“I'm coming, Butch,” She said and they turned on their heels and sped away.

“So….does the thing with them make you, like, indirectly my sister?” Butch asked in a mix of amusement and, maybe, horror?

“I don't know….” She shrugged. “But, I've always wanted brother….I think. Can I have some chips?”

“Keep them,” He pushed them into her hands and gagged. “I've already lost my appetite.”

“Sweet. Can I have your Coke, too?”

“No.”

□■□■□■

Nico sat on a bench across the street outside the hospital, staring at the sky and taking in small, slow draws of his cigarette before letting it all out in one long sigh.

“I didn't know you smoked.”

His head lolled over to the side and saw the familiar holoform face sitting next to him.

“Hey, Strongarm,” He greeted her with a quick wave of his hand and popped the thing back in his mouth. “And yes, I do. Especially when I'm frustrated, like now….I suppose I don't have to explain why we're here?”

“Henry told me.”

“Ah….”

“Why aren’t you in the hospital?”

“There’s not much I could find out that hasn’t already been revealed by the news,” He sighed and took a few more puffs. “Everything; the kospego, the robo-crab, and the metal bulldog; points to Steeljaw's Pack. Now I’m just trying to pin down where the Pack’s den is located, and for that, I could use your help. I escaped from there, but I can't remember nothing but that room…..”

“Well lucky for you, I reached the same conclusion and had Hank and Henry do a little research with me as we drove here,” She handed him a tablet, and as he flipped through the tabs, she explained. “Based on sightings of bots that fit the pack's description we were able to narrow everything down to a 3 mile radius. You and I could comb through it all, but to be honest, my money is on the abandoned steel mill. It's the only structure actually big enough for 5 fugitives.”

“Very impressive. Wonder why Bee hadn't thought of that.”

“Then let's go,” She ran towards her alt mode, getting in and starting up her engines

“Wait!” Nitrobolt pulled up next to her. “Strongarm, very quickly….I'm sorry….About keeping things from you.”

“I know….I'm still pretty pissed off,” She poked her holoform's head out the window and gave him a quick smile. “But you do promise to tell me everything? It doesn't have to be all at once just….no more secrets between us anymore, Nitro. We're a team.”

“Cross my spark and hope to rust, blue eyes,” He smiled back. “I promise….where'd you learn that phrase?”

“Hank.”

“Heh, kids….”

 

“Okay, I set up the explosives and the gun turrets,” Strongarm announced before laying in the trench they had dug earlier since there were no natural structures to hide behind. “I got the detonator, just say when.”

“Great,” Nitrobolt's optics zoomed out on the steel mill and the visual of Clampdown getting the scrap beat out of him by Thunderhoof. “Did you make sure the torrents were set to a training level and not to kill?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Got your mask?”

She quickly put it on and gave him a thumbs up.

“Cloaking mechanism?”

She tapped two digits in her wrist and disappeared.

“Good,” He said before putting on his mask and activating his own cloak. “Can you see me?”

“Yup. With the mask, of course, regularly I wouldn't be able to see you. Can you see me?”

“Yes. Blasters just in case?”

She nodded.

“Okay, blue eyes, relay the plan to me to let me know you're on track.”

“The explosives and torrents will cause a distraction that will make the Pack come out to address it. When they do, we sneak in, retrieve the missing chips, leave a tracker, and then get the heck outta there. Then let Bee Team know in a way that won't get us detained in the spot.”

“Good job. Ready?”

“Ready.”

“When.”


	10. Ch. 9

“I sweah dis time I'm gonna kill ya!” Thunderhoof tried to reach for Clampdown but Underbite stood in the way. “Dey'll neva find your body! I'll do ya like I did Burn Out! Rememba him?”

“I don't even know who that is—Ah!” Clampdown yelped as the other finally got a hold of him again.

“Oh well, we tried,” Fracture shrugged. “Where's Steeljaw? He's usually here to stop thi—”

**_KA-BOOM!_ **

The ground shook slightly with a few more explosions. It was not enough to knock them over but enough to make them a bit unsteady.

“Eyo,” Thunderhoof steadied himself against a nearby wall. “What was dat?”

“Explosions, sheesh, your hearings going,” Clampdown snarked, optic stalks still held firmly in the ruminacon's grasp, and he realized too late it was not the best course of action.

“Oh, is dat so mista know it all? Den why dontcha check it out since your sensors are so much bedda den mine!” Thunderhoof snarled and spun him around, letting him go at just the right moment and sending him flying out.

There was a small crash as the crabcon landed on the ground. It was silent, not counting his angry muttering and the soundle of him trying to scuttle back.

Then they heard it, the sounds of a barrage of blaster fire—it sounded almost like a warzone with added screams from the horrified Clampdown.

“Steeljaw—Ya know wat? Fowget about dat fragger, he's probably sleepin' again!” Thunderhoof groaned and pointed to the two bots next to him. “Okay, Fracture and Underbite, you're wit me!”

They ran out and quickly took cover before they could get hit.

“All the shots are—Duck!” Fracture shouted as a few charges whizzed past their helms. “They're all only coming out when we're in sight.”

“So?”

“So, they're all automated to shoot on sight!” To emphasize his point he threw a piece of nearby scrap in the air and it was shot up. “See?”

“Ah….” Thunderhoof nodded and squinted his optics to cut the glare of the sun as he stared at where the blaster fire originated. “Hey, I see somethin’. A buncha tripods.”

“That's an easy fix….but we need something to draw the fire for it to work….” Fracture turned to Underbite. “Someone huge enough to draw the most attention.”

Underbite quickly shook his head. “Nope, nuh-uh, yer not sendin’ me out there! Don't we got Clampdown—”

“He's probably dead considering he stopped screeching so go—”

“When the Pit freezes—”

“Underbite, fetch!” Thunderhoof tossed a huge pipe out into the open, and the chompazoid foolishly followed it eagerly—until he started getting shot at as well—and the former boss laughed. “Thanks, ya stupid mutt! Fracture, do your thing.”

“Airazor, Divebomb, disable the turrets!” Fracture ordered, deploying his minicons.

Like he'd predicted, Underbite drew most of the fire that allowed the minicons to somewhat safely sail over to the turrets and destroy them very easily….too easily.

“You okay, Underbite?” Thunderhoof asked in amusement as he passed him on his way to see what was left.

“Frag….you….” Underbite replied in a painful moan.

“Who do you think coulda done this?” Fracture questioned as he looked over the remnants of the turrets.

“Autobots, maybe? I mean, deys the only ones dat would be after us,” Thunderhoof frowned. “But why would dey just do dis instead of coming for us….”

“I don't think it was. Last I checked, a prison ship doesn't carry military grade weaponry. They couldn't have gotten it from Drift, either, that mech loves his blades,” Fracture pointed out.

“Yeah, you're right, an’ it can't be the cops from Cybertron. Dere woulda been a real fight by now—EYOO!” He exclaimed painfully when someone punched him across the face.

He stumbled backward, falling to the ground. He squinted against the glare of the sun to get a better glimpse of his attacker as they came into view—and was struck; both literally and figuratively; dumb by the sight of himself.

He quickly glanced around and noticed that his comrades were also in the same predicament.

Not too far away, laughing quietly like a pair of pranksters, Strongarm and Nitrobolt snuck in unnoticed.  

Strongarm looked around. “This place is huge….I think we should split up.”

“Yeah. This is not another vampire situation so it seems like the best course of action,” He agreed. “I comb the east, you the west.”

“Done. Comm if anything, okay?”

“Yes, mam.”

They search, at first, turned up nothing. All there was were rooms that were filled with scrap metal, some had makeshift berths, and some were filled with energon. But other than that there was nothing of interest to them.

“Nitro, any luck?” She asked.

《 _Nope. But I got one more room to check so let's cross our fingers._ 》He replied over the comm.《 _What about you, Strongarm?_ 》

“Same as you. But I'll let you know,” She ended the call and approached the steel door that was welded nearly shut. Though appeared that whoever did this wanted no one to come in, there were signs it was torn open and rewelded very frequently.

 _Well I don't think whoever would mind if I went in for a quick look,_ She thought. She took out her baton (which she still had) and wedged the end of it between a gap of the door and wall. Using it as a lever she pushed and pulled back in her attempts to open it.

It took a few hard tugs, but it gladly opened for her a moment later.

Looking inside she saw nothing but darkness. She felt around for a switch, but after finding nothing resorted to using the small flashlight on her blaster instead.

A little part of her wished she hadn't, though, because what she saw sent a shiver up her spinal struts and a nauseous feeling in her tanks.

The walls were stained with dried energon, a sure sign something extremely violent had happened here, and in the middle of the room there was a large hook dangling from the ceiling.

 _This must be the place they had Nitro…._ She guessed with a shudder. She wouldn't find anything here unless she was begging for nightmares but to be certain she looked around one more time, and her optics caught something.

All the way in the back was a small shrine of sorts, like something one would put up for someone who recently died.

She stepped in for a closer look.

There was a cube of energon, a small baggie of energon goodies, and a flask monogrammed with a star, all surrounding what she knew as a holodiary.

Her curiosity got the better of her and she picked it up. She turned it over and pressed on the center, an image flickering to life.

□■□■□■

Nitrobolt stared intently at the mech before him.

There he was, Steeljaw. He had on a pair of goggles and the tips of his claws had been turned to miniature tools as he tirelessly worked on what was probably one of the missing chips.

Unlike the others, he hadn't gone out to address the problem.

In fact, it appeared as if he wasn't even aware of anything, even his own surroundings—Nitrobolt snapped his fingers earlier to establish what he already sort of knew; that Steeljaw had shut off his audio receptors—as he quietly hummed along to a song the younger mech could faintly hear playing in the others audials.

 _Hmm, he always did like that Troy Baker character...._ He remembered quietly as he continued to watch him with a sort of fascination.

It gave Nitrobolt a sense of nostalgia as he watched him, remembering the times back on Cybertron when the wolficon would completely isolate himself from the outside world to work on his gadgets and what not, saying that the isolation helped his mind thrive and needed no help whatsoever.

But there were several occasions, which he fondly remembered, of when Steeljaw would let him be with him as he worked, even allowing him to help.

Steeljaw ultimately taught him the unbridled joy of creation through engineering, something he already had a knack for from his carrier but never gave it the chance to flourish before him.

Nitrobolt frowned, shaking his helm. That was then, he needed to focus on now. Right now he had a mission, right now Steeljaw was the enemy. He must not forget he still bore a scar on his protoform of the wound he'd inflicted upon him….even if it was accidental.

Nitrobolt quickly went over to a group of crates and sifted through them. A majority of the chips had already had gotten Steeljaw's magic touch, and he wasn't going to risk taking those, who knew what he did to them.

Luckily, five of the crates remained untouched.

He stacked one in top of the other, looking back every few seconds to be sure Steeljaw hadn't yet noticed, before he picked them up and quickly made his way out, gently closing the door behind him.

□■□■□■

《 _Strongarm!_ 》

Strongarm jolted in surprise, nearly dropping the holodiary and quickly answering, “Yes!?”

《 _Let's go! I retrieved some of the stolen cargo. What about you?_ 》

She looked at the holodiary in her hand for a moment before pocketing it in her subspace. “Nothing.”

《 _Nothing?_ 》

“Yeah, nothing but a sort of shrine….I'll meet you at the entrance.”

□■□■□■

“Only _five_?” She said perplexed in a sort of complaint. “What's with the rest?”

“Yeah,” Nitrobolt sighed, “Steeljaw already tampered with them and I'm not risking a potential hazard….but hey some is better than nothing at all.”

“Guess so,” She agreed, taking few from him. “I already put a tracker by the way.”

“Good job.”

The stepped outside and held back a laugh at the cons lying on the ground unconscious while their look alikes stood tall and silent like a group of statues beside each of them.

“Using those drones was a great idea, Strongarm,” Nitrobolt congratulated, and she could almost hear his smile from behind his mask. “I should give you a medal!”

“ **NITROBOLT** and **STRONGARM** ,” The drones suddenly all announced in monotone voices, having registered them. “Subjects **THUNDERHOOF** , **CLAMPDOWN** , **FRACTURE** , and **UNDERBITE** have undergone training and any wounds procured during combat have been attended to. Would you like to hear their scores?”

“Not right now. Please put them down in that structure,” Strongarm pointed to the steel mill.

“Yes, **STRONGARM** ,” They picked up each of their charges and marched past the pair. They sat each bot down, and it almost looked like they were merely sleeping, before marching out.

“Do either of you request anything else?” They asked.

“No,” Nitrobolt answered, and their bodies began shift and rearrange until the drones were replaced by four small cubes. He picked them up and put them in his subspace.

Strongarm wondered quietly what made those drones so different from the one she had dealt with earlier as her and Nitrobolt walked around to pick up what was left of the torrents.

After making sure a second time that any evidence of them being here was gone, they left.

□■□■□■

Fracture was the first to wake up, optics snapping open and swords unsheathing themselves in preparation for a coming attack.

But there was no one around.

He expected to feel pain, too, but there was nothing.

He looked himself over for any injuries, but there were none.

Had it all been some weird dream?

□■□■□■

“So….any thoughts in what our next step is, commander?” Strongarm asked.

“Well—” Nitrobolt paused and turned to her in confusion. “Why are you calling me commander? Didn't we agree we're equals?”

“Force of habit, sorry.”

“Oh. As I was saying, we find a way to give these back. But first and foremost we have give the intel we found to the Bee Team without getting taken in ourselves. We may look different but that's just it; there's no guarantee they won't see us as a potential.”

“Hmm,” Strongarm pondered on the latter. “We can do a drive by. Put the information in a cylinder and throw it in the scrapyard.”

“Or we can make them meet us at a rendezvous point—”

“—and give them our intel there. Face to face is always a lot better. But then, as you pointed out, we will be perceived as a threat. We need something that'll give us leeway….” She trailed off when she noticed Nitrobolt had stopped, gaze transfixed at something on the ground.

“Strongarm,” He spoke up, worry evident in his voice as he set down his crates and crouched beside whatever he'd been looking at, “I think we found leeway.”

She finally took the initiative to look at what had him so spooked and it made her scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm calling Thunderhoof a ruminacon. Ruminacon is from ruminant, a classification of mammals which deers and moose fall into.


	11. Ch. 10

Sideswipe was lying on the ground before them, unmoving and optics shut.

His limbs were askew and twisted in different directions, hands balled into fists, like he had been fighting as he went down.

On his neck, his fuel line had two parallel puncture wounds and from them, like two tiny streams, his energon flowed freely.

“S-Sideswipe?” Strongarm croaked, reaching out to cup the side of his face. She almost wretched it away painfully, he was so hot! “Sideswipe….are you….Can you hear me?”  
She felt instant relief when he suddenly jerked and moaned.

“Strongarm….Strongarm….here….with me….” He muttered as he leaned into her touch. “Strongarm….Strongarm….Strongarm….stay….don't go….” He pleaded.

“Shh….It's okay, Sideswipe. I'll stay, shh, I'll stay,” She reassured him softly, and this seemed to satisfy him for he let out a long sigh before becoming still again.

She almost for worried again if it weren't for a quick look from Nitrobolt assuring her the red mech was alright.

“I patched up his little wound, but this fever is something else,” Nitrobolt frowned. “We'll have to—”

“Take him back home!?” She cut in hopefully.

“Yes. If we wait for Bee to come get him it may be too late—”

Strongarm immediately scooped Sideswipe into her arms, and was slightly shocked to find he was a little heavy despite his frame type.

“You need help?” Nitro asked in concern. “I could—”

“No, I-I got it,” She grunted, adjusting Sideswipe in her arms. “Let's go.”

 

In the medical wing of their bunker, Nitrobolt had begun to scan Sideswipe and do a full blown exam of him, monitoring his spark beat and taking samples of his energon.

All the while, Strongarm stayed by his patient's side, hand latched to his as she wondered what could've happened.

_A few hours earlier…._

“Drift, you comb this quadrant, Grim and I will comb this one, and Sideswipe you go here,” Bumblebee ordered as he pointed to highlighted areas on the map. “Report any findings back to base _immediately_. Fix-It, Diego, and Russell—”

“We'll monitor police scanners and such for anything odd,” He finished.

Bumblebee nodded and turned to Grimlock before they both transformed and left.

“Students, let's—” Drift paused, seeing that his pupils weren't next to him and that they were instead with Sideswipe.

“Can we go with you?” Jetstorm asked eagerly.

Sideswipe frowned. “Hey, we're not going out like that. This is serious—”

“We know but we like going with you,” Slipstream remarked joyfully.

“You are our brother, remember?” Jestorm added.

“Yeah but that's only….” They stared up at him with pleading looks and he sighed, smiling softly. “Okay, true, but you can't go with me this time.”

“Why not?” They pouted.

“He won't admit, but I think your master misses you,” He motioned to Drift, who stood waiting for them. “I don't want him to feel bad, I know you two don't either.”

They nodded in understanding, however, they still looked hesitant.

“I'll tell you what, next time we go out, we'll go to that diner place you both have been wanting to try out,” He promised quietly. “'Kay?”

“Okay!” They exclaimed happily and ran to Drift, mounting themselves on his arms. The bounty hunter gave him a look of silent appreciation before transforming.

Sideswipe looked at the map again to make sure he was on the right track before he, too, went on his way.

Needless to say, he searched the area for nearly an hour and so far didn't really find anything. Sure, a family of bears—he swore those cubs were some of the cutest things he ever saw and they tried climbing him, one even crawled onto his hand and fell asleep; the mother bear, though, wasn't as happy to see him and had left some nasty scratches on his leg to prove it—could count as something found but it wasn't anything useful.

Bee had commed him earlier about him and Grim's progress. Apparently they did find a 'con and were heading back to base to detain them.

If only he had been the one to do so, he could use a little action. All this nothing was getting to him.

As the famous cliche saying went, be careful what you wish for you fucking idiot.

He heard something cut through the air behind him and he turned to address it.

Nothing.

It happened again and again and each time he turned he saw nothing.

Then a rustling in the branches above him. But like before when he looked he saw nothing.

 _Maybe it's just me_ He thought before he heard, just barely, soft murmurs.

“Enough games!” He shouted, brandishing his sword. “Come out and face me like a bot!”

More murmurs.

“I'm waiting! Don't be a fragging coward!” He snarled.

Even more murmurs.

“ _Si tu le dis,_ ” Someone let out a frustrated sigh before tackling him, knocking his weapon out his grasp.

He and his attacker rolled around, each trying get the upper hand while throwing punches and kicks.

Sideswipe's efforts proved fruitless as his assailant finally pinned him to the ground.

“Let me GO!” He barked and struggled against his captor, but was ultimately powerless against his vice like grip.

“Keep still!” They growled.

Wait a second, Sideswipe recognized that voice.

_Mon aimée abeille_

The Zugzwang guy!?

“What do you want with me!?” He asked, optics hard and cold as he stared into his—which were each a different color, one a deep crimson and the other a sparkling blue.

“You. Your _everything_ ,” Zugzwang hissed with a low, deep throated.

What did he mean by—Oh no. No. No, please don't let it be what he thought it meant. He was so young.

His struggling became more and more frantic.

“No, please, no!” He begged. “I-I'll—Just please!”

“I said stay still! You've made this hard enough already,” Zugzwang froze suddenly, stunned. “Wait, you think….No! No, I'm not going to do that. But it will help if you relax,” He opened his mouth slightly, revealing a pair of razor sharp fangs. “Won't hurt as much.”

The younger mech gaped in horror.

“No, no, no, nooaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAH! STOP! STOP—AARRRRGHAAAA!!!” He screamed when Zugzwang dove in, mouth clamping on his neck and fangs puncturing his fuel line and he began to indulge himself on his lifeblood.

A shock of searing pain sped throughout his entire frame.

Sideswipe kicked and hollered so loud he swore he almost busted his own voice box.

But Zugzwang didn't let go.

Pretty soon he stopped trying to fight back, he just felt to weak. Was he going to die?

Just when felt he was on the brink, Zugzwang released him and sat back.

The mech licked the excess energon off his lips and looked down at him with a strange familiarity.

“ _Fastlane_ ….I remember you. You've grown considerably, but then again, you were but a babe when I last saw you. But you've changed. You used to be blue and you had your carrier's optics….Oh, I see. You had to get new ones after....but you did change your name out of spite,” He frowned, but there was clear sympathy in his optics. “They never meant to make you feel this way, my dear boy. Oh, and what's this I see? You've met my eldest nephew….and he took someone away….and you've been trying to get her back….”

He stood up and stretched, smiling down at him and the young mech was able to see his entire frame and how pitch black it was. Sheesh, even his face was black. The only exceptions were his bio lights (that matched his optics) and the red V shaped plate on his forehelm.

“You needn't worry—”

Sideswipe watched with tired optics as Zugzwang's entire form began to take on a different shape.

His optics became baby blue.

The jawline squared and his face was made longer.

He donned a spiky crest and a goatee.

His finish turned a bright red.

Sideswipe had to say, he looked very familiar. That was putting it lightly. It was him.

“—I'll only use your form for a little bit, then you could get back to that little mission,” Zugzwang— _Primus_ , he even sounded like him—finished. He sat back down next to Sideswipe and lifted his helm onto his lap. “My friend should be coming for you soon, but for now, rest….rest….shh…. _Lavande bleue. Lavande verte. Si j'étais roi, dilly-Dilly, j'aurais besoin d'une reine….”_ He began to sing softly, stroking the side of his face to help calm him. “ _Whoa….oh, qui me l'a dit? Dilly dilly. Qui me l'a dit? Je me le suis dit, dilly dilly, je dit moi….”_

Sideswipe felt the lids to his optics become heavier than they already were.

He was so tired.

Zugzwang wasn't helping either, what with his singing, but it felt nice.

He didn't know _he_ could even sing himself. He'd have to try it sometime.

He felt everything start to hurt less and less, and it seemed calming down did help with that.

“ _Si votre dilly dilly cœur ressent un, dilly dilly, chemin si vous répondrez par oui. Dans une jolie petite église, un dilly dilly, jour vous serez mercredi dans une robe, dilly dilly.”_

How did Zugzwang know all that, about his past?

How was he able to change into him like nothing?

There were so many questions he wanted to ask.

But he allowed Zugzwang to lull him to sleep.

 

A scream shattered his blissful state—Oh, he felt so hot. He was practically burning alive! His head was viciously pounding, like he was being repeatedly bashed in the head. He wanted to open his optics to see who it was that screamed, but his optic lids felt like they weighed a ton.

Then someone said his name as they held his face with one hand—Primus, it felt so cool, so refreshing, so _great_.

And that voice!

It couldn't be, but it had to be!  

He knew that voice.

It was the voice of one who had scolded him, laughed with him, teased him, argued with him so many times.

It was Strongarm!

He wanted to jump for joy, maybe hug her while he was at it, but he could barely move.

She spoke again and he detected the worry in her voice.

He had to let her know he was okay, and with all his effort, he jerked.

He leaned into her touch, and he said her name repeatedly and begged her not to leave.

She said she wouldn't and that was all he needed to fall back asleep.


	12. Ch. 11

 

“I got good news,” Nitrobolt announced.

Strongarm's expression lit up. “What?”

“Sideswipe's fever is just that, a fever. Nothing life threatening. It's a reaction to his bite,” He reached behind him and got a vial, inserting it into a syringe. “Just need to give him some of this. It'll help his fever to go down….What's wrong?”

“Your going to give him a shot?”

“Is that a problem….Oh. He has trypophobia,” He grimaced. Ever since that experience with that body snatcher Sideswipe developed a strong fear of needles. In one of the few times the both of them could sit together and actually have a conversation, he explained every gory detail of the removal of his helm from his body and it involved a lot of….well, needles.

“Yeah….I know he is barely even conscious but it still worries me how he'll react.”

Nitrobolt looked at Sideswipe in deep thought before he smiled. “I got just the thing,” He cleared his vocalizer and began quietly chanting in his audio receptor.

Strongarm couldn't really hear what exactly he was saying but from what she could pick up it was something that had to do with racing.

It seemed to work because Sideswipe did react when Nitrobolt injected him, but he only squeezed her hand slightly and mumbled.

“Okay. Now we wait,” He put down the empty syringe. “Strongarm?”

“Yes?”

“I'm going to do that thing with your idea,” He said, pointing to a monitor. “His temperature and spark rate are right here, keep an optic on that. If he wakes up before I get back, try to keep him calm because he will be a little disoriented. Meanwhile, give him some energon. Okay?”

□■□■□■

“Sideswipe, anything to report?” Bumblebee asked when he saw him come in the command center.

“Uh, no. Nothing to report. Circled through that place 5 times, didn't find anything,” He quickly replied, looking lost for a moment.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm just a little dizzy,” He answered. “Hey, so, what about everyone else? They find anything?”

Bee shook his helm and continued, “Are you sure you're okay? I could have Fix-It and Diego check you out—”

“Bee, I'm fine! Lay off me,” He groaned. “Only said I was dizzy, not dying.”

Bee nodded, but still looked wary. “Okay, but if it gets to be too much go get help.”

“Got it,” He nodded and walked away, down an aisle. He looked around, making sure he was alone, before he keeled over and cried.

《 _Hey Zugzwang_ —》

“What!?” Zugzwang replied between the sobs. “What is it?”

《 _Are you okay, boss? You sound like you're crying._ 》

“Of course I'm crying!” He exclaimed, wiping away a few stray tears. “This boy's life is so sad. Wandering through life feeling unloved and unwanted—”

《 _This is so strange, you don't usually get like this when you take on new forms…._ 》

“I haven't done this since the war ended, mind you, Firecracker. I do tend to get very sensitive!” He frowned. “Anyway, move finding the good doctor to number 2 on our priority list after finishing the spacebridge.”

《 _M'kay_.》

“Also, why did you call? I specifically ordered complete radio silence when it came to me—”

《 _Uh….yeah, but we thought you should know that, one, we can't find that sad boy, two, Robert wandered off again….Bye!_ 》The comm line went dead.

“Hold on! What do you mean he wandered off? This is the third time this year!” He shouted. “Answer me, goddammit! And what do you mean you can't—”

“It's a bomb!” He heard the minicon—Fix-It? Yeah, Fix-It—screeched.

 _A bomb?_ He thought, running to the command center.

There was a sphere-like object on the ground, blinking and beeping rapidly.

“Shoot it!” The dinobot suggested before ducking back behind a stack of fridges car too small to give him any protection.

“No, Grim, it might set it off,” Bee cautioned.

“What happened?” ~~Zugzwang~~ “ _Sideswipe”_ asked.

“Someone just threw this in here,” He replied.  

“Well I think if it was a bomb it woulda gone off already.”

“That's probably the intention, lull is into a false sense of security,” Dead….Drift frowned, “and when one of us is foolish enough to touch it, it'll explode.”

“Bumblebee,” Diego tapped on the mech's leg to get his attention.

“What?” Bee asked.

“Do you know Morse code?”

“Why is _that_ relevant to our situation?”

“Because the “bomb” is telling us _‘Hello today, I have a message for you’_ over and over,” Diego pointed out and he ran up to it, touching it, much to the others dismay.

Drift, who was the closest to him, scooped him up into his hand and ran for cover with everyone else.

They waited, but there was no explosion.

Instead the beeping and blinking stopped immediately and was replaced by a low whirring noise and some static.

“ **_For a while now, you've been looking for something. We've found it for you,_ ** _”_ A distorted voice began to speak.

“Sideswipe” was the first to take a peek at what it was and saw a holovid of a bot wearing a mask being projected from the supposed bomb.

“Hey, Bee,” He nudged him in the shoulder and pointed at the projection. “Look.”

Bee nodded and rose slightly to do that.

The bot on screen brought up a map marked with a set of coordinates.

“ **_The Pack's Den, Steeljaw's hideout, is located here in a large steel mill, very hard to miss,_ ** ” They explained. “ **_Be cautious going there. You'll also find the stolen hardwired chips there, too._ ** ”

“Fix-It!”

The minicon poked his head out from behind his console. “Yes, lieutenant?”

“Look up those coordinates.”

“Right away, sir,” He typed them in and many things popped up. “Whoever they are, they're telling the truth. There is indeed a steel mill, but it's been abandoned for sometime. Further analysis shows that there has been an influx of stories lately about “metal monsters” when concerning the place, most notably a werewolf.”

“That sounds like our cons and the place,” Bee concluded. “It's large and isolated, perfect place to hide. Why didn't we think of that sooner?”

“We've been otherwise distracted, what with the still ongoing situation with….” Drift looked to “Sideswipe” almost cautiously before turning back to Bumblebee, “....bots not present and the arrival of Diego.”

“Yeah, totally,” “Sideswipe” agreed and a large _CRACK_ was heard. They turned to him and gasped. He had stepped on the sphere.

“Sideswipe, why!? Why would you do that!?” Bee asked in frustration. “They could've had more information!”

“Sorry, dude, really! It was an accident! Just took a step forward and….you know,” He laughed nervously.

The truth was that while everyone else was occupied with the discovery, an image of the real Sideswipe was shown on the projection. It was safe to assume that whoever they were, they had taken him in. Before anything could be said and the others would notice, he destroyed it. No need to jeopardize his mission to observe.

“Don't worry, looked like he was about to say bye anyway,” He added in his defense. “Anywho….what's the plan, bossbot? We gonna kick some con aft or what?”

Bumblebee's gaze lingered on him for a minute, either in concern or something else entirely, before he turned to the rest of the team and they began discussing their plan for storming into the Pack's hideout.

□■□■□■

“Hey Strongarm,” Hank said quietly, announcing her and her father's presence.

“Hi, Hank. Henry,” Strongarm replied, lifting her up to sit with her. Henry lazily nodded and have her a lopsided grin. “What's the matter with your dad? He looks….happy and dizzy.”

“Cupid just ran him over with his semi a few times before viciously stabbing him with his arrows,” Hank snickered. “He's perfectly fine.”

“Who's Cupid?”

“A weird fairy or something that makes people fall in love.”

“Who did he fall for?”

“Butch's mom. She's pretty nice, can't wait for you to meet her, and they already knew each other. I guess you could say they fell in love again,” She shrugged and looked at Sideswipe's unconscious form. “Is that Sideswipe?”

Strongarm nodded.

“Yup, he was definitely Spencer….Bolts told us what happened, by the way.”

“He's here?”

“No. He called us about,” Henry answered, coming over, “and we came right over. If you don't mind, I'm going to fix his paint and make him look nice.”

Strongarm smiled. “I think he'd like that.”

“Who doesn't like being spruced up?” Henry remarked and began to buff out the scratches. “I could see him smiling already. Look.”

Strongarm took a quick look, and sure enough, the corners of Sideswipe's mouth were turned up in a small smile. His grip on her hand loosened until he had fully released it, it was almost like he began to feel safe.

“Hey guys.”

Strongarm turned to see Nitrobolt, completely drenched from helm to pede.

“What happened to you?” She asked, stifling her laughter.

“I tripped into the lake, can you believe it?” He laughed quietly. “Any updates on Sideswipe?”

“He's more relaxed. Fevers gone down considerably, but he hasn't woken up,” She sighed. “Were you able to give the intel?”

He nodded. “….Need help, Henry?”

He shook his head and continued to buff, Hank also pitching in with her own buffer.

Nitrobolt looked at Strongarm and urged her silently to come with him.

She looked at Sideswipe. He looked content as Henry and Hank continued to work on him.

She nodded and followed Nitrobolt through the door and up a small flight of stairs to another door. They opened it and climbed out, stumbling onto the grass.

“That last step gets us every damn time….”  Nitrobolt groaned, helping Strongarm up.

They walked to the shore of the lake and sat down.

The sun was setting now, a nice peaceful sight to see after such a stressful day.

Nitrobolt pulled up out a pack of cygars and lit one up for himself.

“Want one?” He offered. Strongarm gave him a disapproving look combined with confusion and he laughed. “I'm only kidding, don't worry,” He took a few drags, blowing it out in circles of smoke.

“How do you do _that_?”

“Make an “o” with your mouth and just—” He paused as he did it again, “—blow it all out.”

“Neat.”

“Yeah. So....how do you feel, blue eyes?” Nitrobolt asked. “I forgot to ask you earlier.”

“I….I….I don't know,” She shrugged. “I guess I'm shocked….I'm scared….a mix of bad things. What about you?”

“….I don't know either. I do know I'm afraid of Sideswipe attempting to strangle me, though, when he wakes up,” He joked and she rolled her eyes at him.

“Oh, he'll do worse than strangle you….What happened to him?” She questioned.

“I don't know that either.”

“I didn't imagine that was how I'd see him again, so weak and sick….” She confessed. “And even if he wasn't, I thought he'd yell at me and be upset….but instead he looked like he actually missed me. Like me being there with him made him feel happy and safe….”

“I did, in a way, take you away….he wouldn't hate you, he'd hate me,” He sighed.

“Hey, I decided to go with you. You never took me away.”

“I know, I know, but….” He frowned and put out his cygar. “....Remember how you said we'd go back one day? Well….I just….”

“You want to go back?” Strongarm finished for him and he nodded. “....Me, too.”

“But when?”

She got her lip and tried to think of an answer. “What about….when Sideswipe gets better? I have a feeling he won't be able to take himself back….But what if they arrest you?”

“Then I'll have to face it and be brave about it. If I am put into stasis then that's how it is meant to be—”

"No. No, that's not how it's meant to be...We protect each other. That means not letting the other go into stasis!" She exclaimed angrily. "They're going to have to fight me first or put me in that pod with you—"

"Strongarm," He interrupted, voice stern, “you must promise me that you'll be brave, too, and let it happen. Don't try to save me.”

"What if I don't want to be brave...." She murmured with a small pout. 

"You'll have to, Strongarm. You'll just have to."


	13. Ch. 12

Blasters?

Check.

Stasis cuffs?

Check.

A hope that they won't screw this up?

Double check!

They planned this through, everything should go smoothly.

Shoot on sight (with blasters set to stun, of course, they wanted them alive), cuff them immediately.

They weren't using the usual stasis cuffs, oh no, they were bringing out the big guns for this, the ones that paralyze a bot and decrease their energy.

They were taking no chances.

“We all converge on the target on my order, is that clear?” Bee asked.

《As you command, Bumblebee》

《Got it, bossbot》

《Bee, do I have to use a gun? Why can't I just punch?》

“You could do both. Sideswipe, do you have any visuals?”

《There's four bots near the entrance; Thunderhoof, Fracture, Underbite, and Clampdown; and they look like they're fighting》

“Any sign of Steeljaw?”

《Nope. He's probably is somewhere else in the mill or not there at all—Wait! I see him. He's just standing to the side, shaking his helm》

“Okay. Everyone ready?”

《Ready!》

“Let's go!”

□■□■□■

“You left yourself open for attack there, Clampdown. If this were a real combat situation, you'd be dead,” Steeljaw shook his helm in disapproval. “Thunderhoof, you, on the other hand, are doing splendidly. Keep it up.”

“Thanks, an' not dat I don't like beating this piece of scrap to death, but why are we doin' dis?” Thunderhoof asked, banging the crabcon against the floor.

“I've found that sparring often brings teams closer together,” Steeljaw replied, “and being that we are one in need of some bonding, this seemed perfect to me.”

“Then why aren't ya doin’ it?” Underbite question as he rammed into Fracture.

“I'm waiting for the victor out of the four of you. Who is the strongest warrior amongst you? We shall see,” Steeljaw's audials twitched and he looked ahead towards the entrance. “Excuse me, I have to handle something. Keep up the good work!” He chimed and disappeared into a corridor.

“Is it just me—and I know it ain't—but doan yuh get de feelin' he's up tuh something?” He heard Thunderhoof say and everyone murmur in agreement. “He ain't usually dis….happy—”

“Get on the ground!”

“Son of a—”

Blaster fire and silence, aside from a fews pained groans and moans.

□■□■□■

“Where's Steeljaw?” Bumblebee asked furiously.

“Try goin’ down dat passage right dere. On your left,” Thunderhoof muttered. “Dat bastard….”

Bee ordered everyone else to keep guard over their prisoners while he went after the main one.

□■□■□■

“Bumblebee, what took you?” Steeljaw said bemused, leaning against the wall without a care whilst his rival aimed a blaster at him. “I hate waiting when people make me, you know. I find it….unprofessional.”

“Cut the chatter and put your claws up where I can see them!” Bee shouted.

“I don't know if I want to, actually. I much rather talk. Tell me, how are things in your neck if the woods? Any trouble with your little team? Any….deaths or disappearances? Because I noticed the little cadet isn't here,” He noticed Bumblebee become tense and he chuckled. “Of course, that could be just me. Then there's that new recruit you got….is he   gone, too? He didn't exactly look the best last I saw him; to be frank, he looked….nearly dead.”

Bee was caught off guard for a moment at Steeljaw's sudden change of tone at the mention of the “recruit”, like he was legitimately worried and a little remorseful. “You mean Nitrobolt? You're the one that had him!”

“Yes….Is he alright?”

“Why don't you come with me and find out?”

Steeljaw let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine. If you are going to be like that then I probably shouldn't tell you I rigged this entire mill with explosives for situations just like this and you all have less than a minute left to get out,” He grinned devilishly, holding up a remote. “That is unless you get this from me. You got 20 seconds. 19. 18. 17. 16—”

“No!” He went to tackle him, but went right through him, crashing into the wall behind him.

“Oh well, it seems that I'm not here. Goodbye, lieutenant!” Steeljaw sneered and phased out of view.

A hologram. The sneaky fragger had been using a hologram. He was never here.

“Oh no. Guys get out now the place is gonna blow!” He hollered through the comms.

He was to late though, for a few mere seconds later, the whole place exploded.

 

“Exclaimed, how was your—Whoa!” Fix-It exclaimed as one by one each came into view splattered with at least 50 shades of color, each very vibrant.

The place had indeed exploded—with color!

“Swell,” Bumblebee murmured, spitting out a bit of the paint that was still in his mouth. “Steeljaw got away, I think he was waiting for us to come. Can you get some pods ready for our guests?” He gestured towards the four cons behind them, each with a look of displeasure as they, too, had gotten doused in paint and, of course, their situation. They would of retaliated if it weren't for their restraints.

“Most certainly. Diego, may you assist me?” The minicon asked as he rolled towards the pods to do what was asked of him.

“Sure, Fix-It,” Diego smiled and quickly followed him.

“And I'll get the fire hose to wash the paint off,” Russell said, cautiously going past the detainees.

A few moments later, after Russell had hosed everyone off and Fix-It and Diego prepared the pods, the prisoners were ushered into their pods.

“Ey, if yuh find Steeljaw, tell him I'm gonna kill him,” Thunderbolt groaned before the pot closed and he was frozen in stasis.

“That makes two of us,” Bee sighed and turned to Drift. “I think we need to dig deeper into Nitrobolt's background. Look at any allies.”

“Why?” Drift inquired.

“Steeljaw and the Pack were the ones who had Nitrobolt when he went missing and Steeljaw is probably the one that almost killed him. He asked me if he was alright and he seemed pretty worried,” Bee answered, holding his chin in deep thought. “When we read Steeljaw's file it talked about a partner. Who the partner was has been erased.”

“And you assume Nitrobolt was that partner,” Drift guessed and he nodded. “Seems plausible. Nitrobolt would act in a similar fashion whenever we mentioned Steeljaw, though, his disposition was more upset—”

“Well, guys,” Sideswipe interrupted cheerfully as he draped an arm around each their shoulders, “we had a great turnout, even if we didn't get the wolf. I say we celebrate! Break out the high grade and have ourselves a party!”

“One, we don't have high grade. Two, didn't I arrest you once for underage drinking?” Bee frowned.

The other mech looked startled for a moment. Then he suddenly released the both of them and turned the other way. “….Oh, yeah. Right. Forget about it. I'll just go on patrol.”

Bee raised an optic ridge at him and was about to follow him were it not for Denny, who had just returned, cheering, “Everybody, you won't believe what happened! All the victims, the ones that are still alive, every single one of them, they're all healed!”

“What!?” Everyone, save Sideswipe who was already gone, exclaimed in disbelief.

“The doctors are keeping them overnight so they could run a few tests, but it seems that all their injuries just disappeared and they're in perfect health! It's a miracle!” Denny grinned. “A little weird, but a miracle!”

While he continued to whoop and hurrah, he was completely oblivious to the sudden stunned silence from the others.

□■□■□■

“Our little plan worked! Eclipse, _mon cher,_ you are a genius!” Zugzwang praised them over his comlink.

□■□■□■

Hank and Henry sat on the dock of the lake next to the house, throwing rocks from a pile they collected and watching the dark water splash and ripple in response.

“So, Hank, what's up?” Henry asked.

“Huh?”

“How you holding up after all the stuff that happened today?”

She shrugged, “I….don't know, Dad. Nobodies died before. I really don't know how to feel about that. We knew them but, like, then we didn't. Well, we kinda knew Jillian but only barely. Should I feel sad? Is it wrong I don't?”

“I don't know,” Henry shrugged, too. “What do you think?”

“Hey, that's not how this works,” She frowned. “When I ask a question you have to answer it, not ask me a question.”

“Hey, I don't know it all.”

“You have to, you're 34 years old.”

“Are you saying I'm old, Hank?”

“You have experience….and, yeah, maybe you're kinda old,” She snickered.

“Hey!”

“You were, like, born in the 90s! That was so long ago—Wha!” She squealed when her dad picked her up.

“That's it! You think you could talk to me like that and get away with it? You thought wrong, Henrietta,” He growled, but there was no anger in his tone and in his eyes was a glimmer of mischief as he rocked her back and forth, threatening to throw her into the water. “It's high time I taught you a lesson! Into the lake you go—”

“No! No, Daddy, no! I-I'm sorry! Daddy, I'm sorry—No, s-stop!” She laughed when he began to tickle her.

“Never!”

“Please!! Pretty please!”

“Aw, okay, since you asked so nicely,” Henry put her down….only for Hank to push him off the dock instead.

“And the Hankinator rises triumphant!” She cackled. Henry climbed back onto the dock, sputtering and coughing as he shivered. He glared at her.

“Did you have a nice swim—Ah!”

He scooped her into his arms once again and bolted down to the edge of the dock and he jumped.

“Noooo!” Was Hank's last word before they plunged into the lake.

 

“Dad, I'll never—” She sneezed. “—forgive you.”

They had dried themselves off a while ago. Since Hank had extra clothes for whenever she'd sleepover, she was easily able to change. Henry, on the other hand, wasn't given that liberty. None of Nitrobolt's Nico clothes fit him so he had to wear a robe while his dried.

“You started it,” Henry chuckled as he tucked her in. “No more pushing me into the water, okay?”

“Okay….Night,” She murmured.

“Goodnight,” He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added a small edition to the chapter


	14. Ch. 13

Next few weeks were surprisingly very calm.

Bee Team still had to deal with the Decepticon of the week and they kept a constant wide optic for Steeljaw, but it was still calm nonetheless.

The case was similar with Nitrobolt, Strongarm, Henry, and Hank.

Both the formers would go out when duty called to handle their own Decepticon situations, leaving the latters to watch over the still catatonic Sideswipe. Even those little missions seemed fairly tame.

When Henry wasn't busy with repairs, helping out his metal friends, or just his usual fatherly duties, he would spend his free time further kindle his romance between Butch's mother, Anita.

Their children at first were greatly put off by it. It wasn't that they didn't support the relationship, it was just the idea that they could potentially become siblings, that they might actually _live_ together, from how things were escalating.

However, they soon warmed to that idea. After all they'd been best friends for years, wouldn't it be awesome to become siblings?

Everything was very calm.

But how long would it last?

□■□■□■

“Hank, Nitrobolt, I'm going to do it!” Henry announced suddenly.

Nitrobolt, in holoform, slammed the hood to a car they'd just finished working on. “What?”

“I'm going to ask Anita to marry me!” He grinned. “I got the ring and everything!”

“Congratulations!” Nitro grinned before he looked lost for a moment. “So….is that like a conjunx endura ceremony?”

Henry confirmed with a nod.

“What!” Hank exclaimed, jaw dropping. “You're really going to? Like, this is not a joke?”

“Oh….Hank,” Henry crouched in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder and sighing, “I should've asked you if that was okay. I mean, it's always been you and me, with the recent addition of Nitrobolt and Strongarm, and you barely know Anita at all. But, sweetie, I—”

“No, no, it's great and I'm happy for you! I really like her,” She smiled, “because she makes you so happy! So, don't worry, you have my blessing.”

“Thank you, Hank.”

“Can Butch and I hold rings?” She asked. “We already agreed to do it together.”

“Sure—Agreed to? You mean you were already prepared for this?”

“Yup, already made invitations, picked out the caterers, musicians, locations, all the basics. Just say go and it's on.”

“How???”

“Nitrobolt's loaded! Why do you think he works for free?”

“Henry, you've got a visitor,” Nitro spoke up. “The dear and beautiful Ms. Negasi.”

“Anita!” Henry quickly stood up, snatching a nearby cleaning rag to wipe his grease covered face clean. “You're here early.”

“Thank you for that intro, Nico,” Anita smiled softly at him, “and I like being early, you know that, Henry,” She pecked him on the cheek, ignoring the bit of engine grease still there, and looked at Hank. “Also, I have a little present for you, Hank.”

“What's the present?” She was handed a small box wrapped in shiny red paper topped with a great big bow.

“Open it.”

“It's not one of those practice make-up kits, is it? People are always giving me those.”

She laughed, “I promise, it's not that and you'll love it….Now tear it open!”

Hank gladly did as instructed ripping the paper and tearing the lid off the box. Her grin faltered as she pulled out a old football. “Oh….thanks,” It wasn't that she didn't want it. She just already had one. “I….like it.”

“It's not just any football, Hank. Look who it's signed by.”

“Signed?” She looked at it again and gasped. “B-BRONKO KOWALSKI!? THE BRONKO KOWASLKI? THE PICKETZY PILE DRIVER?”

Anita nodded. “I take it you like your gift.”

“YES! YES! Thank you, Anita! Wait, can….can I play with it?”

“Of course you can! Have your way with it. Make it go into the sky like Bronko did in 1942. Pippin said he remembers it was the greatest—”

“He's _that_ old!?” Hank exclaimed, dumbfounded. “I thought he was like 39 or 40 or something….”

“No, you misunderstand! I meant his, uh, grandfather,” She corrected herself. “His name was also Pippin.”

“Oh. Let's go and toss this at your place, Nico!” Hank took Nitro by the hand and dragged him out the garage. A motorcycle was heard a moment later as they drove away.

“Anita, that was so sweet of you to give that to Hank. Where'd you get it?” Henry asked.

“Pippin. He has three of them. After some negotiations, he let me take one. Now, you get yourself spruced up for our little rendezvous. I'll wait here.”

□■□■□■

**_Beep….Beep….Beep….Beep….Beep….Beep…._ **

_What's that noise?_ Was Sideswipe's first thought as he opened his optics. _Where am I?_

He lifted his helm up slightly and looked around. The room was dark, but from what he could register, it was a type of medbay and he was connected to a machine that was measuring the rate of his spark—He could tell by how the line on the screen kept spiking.

How he ended up here was blurry, he couldn't remember much of what happened before he fell asleep, only someone saying his name and how sick he felt.

He took notice of the feeling of a hand entwined with his own and how it gently squeezed it before there was a murmur followed by a soft yawn.

A pair of azure optics slowly opened before him, going wide at the sight of him as the owner gasped.

Suddenly, the dark space was illuminated with a dim light and he was able to see who it was.

“S-Strongarm?” He blurted out as he quickly sat up, though, he was unsure.

This femme had an entirely different color scheme, an overall a much darker version of the bot he'd known. She was a dark cobalt blue with a few streaks of a light cerulean that added a bit of youthfulness to the high level of maturity her appearance gave off.

But in her optics lay something familiar, evidence of someone younger and kinder.

“Sideswipe,” She let out a soft sigh, smiling, “it's been a while.”

“A while….” He echoed, reaching to her hesitantly. “Three months. Are….you real?”

“I'm real, Sideswipe.”

“Are you sure?” He squinted. “This isn't the first time I had a dream like this—Ow! Why'd you pinch me?”

“So you'd see it's not a dream. I'm totally real….you punk,” The last part came out in a small laugh.

“Strongarm!”

“Yup.”

“I-It's you!”

“The one and only—Whoa!” He pulled her by her shoulders towards him in a warm, tight embrace.

“I can't believe it. It's really, really you….” He breathed a sigh of relief, and tightened his hold on her, like at any moment she'd disappear. “Not to sound cheesy but….I missed you, Strongarm….so much….almost more than anything.”

“....You did?” She asked, surprised. “You really did?”

He nodded.

“I….I did, too. Sideswipe,” She accentuated her statement by returning his embrace. “Primus as my witness, I missed you, too.”

“Why did you leave? Did _he_ take you away?”

Strongarm knew who he was referring to from the venom and anger in his voice and she couldn't help but tense. He noticed and snarled, “He did, didn't he? What else did he do—”

“Uh….let's talk about it later,” She murmured.

“It's that bad? Just wait till I get my hands—”

“No! No, it's okay. It's just a long story….Right now, I'd rather just wait until we get back. Okay?” She said and his optics filled with glee.

“You're coming with me!?”

“Yeah. I was just waiting until you got better,” She said.

“How long have I been out?”

“You've been out for 3 weeks,” She answered. “Can you stand?”

“3 weeks!? How's that even—Ah!” His legs gave out from under him, but luckily she caught him before he could hit the floor.

“Okay, thats a no—” She jolted in surprise and shot her helm back when something slammed shut somewhere outside the room they were in. “Oh.”

“What was that?” He narrowed his optics at her. “Is there someone else here?”

“Um….Oh my gosh!” She gasped, pointing to his face.

“What?! What's wrong!?” He exclaimed, distracted by this new development.

“This!” She quickly flashed a light in his face.

“Hey! What's the big….idea….Strongarm….” He yawned before he fell back into recharge. Right on time, too.

“Sideswipe woke up?” Nitrobolt asked quietly as she laid the bot back on the slab and she nodded. “How was he?”

“He couldn't walk.”

“That's expected. Give him this as soon as he wakes up again,” He handed her a small vial. “You're going to be okay doing this all alone?”

“Yeah, don't worry,” She assured him. “I personally think it's better if we slowly reintroduce you. Just give it a day or a few, and I'll call you as soon as everything is settled.”

“Well we'll miss you until then—”

“You're not the only one.”

“—I'll miss you,” He added with a sad smile, taking her hand. “I've gotten used to us being together. This would be the longest we've been apart for….a while.”

“I know….” She mirrored his expression, lacing her fingers through his and letting them entwine. “This might be a goodbye for good. I….I don't know what they'll do to you, Nitrobolt.”

“Strongarm, don't think about that. Leave that to me,” He reminded her. “Complete the mission….no matter what. And remember, it'll never be goodbye for us because I'll always be here,” He pressed a free hand on her chest, above her spark, “and you'll always be in mine. I love you, pretty blue eyes.”

Strongarm blinked at that and she became crestfallen. They always said that to each other, but mostly as a offhand remark and a sort of reassurance of what they already knew. It never was this….sad.

“I know….me, too,” She replied, finally, letting him go. “I-I should go….” _Before I can't._

“Yeah….Oh, Hank is here, by the way, if you want to—”

Strongarm bolted out the door before he could finish.

“Guess it's just you and me now, Sideswipe,” He whispered as he took him up into his arms. The red mech groaned and stirred, but Nitrobolt was quick to calm him, singing softly in his audial while he went to the hatch that led to the surface.

 _You don't have to carry me you know…._ A voice from a distant memory, suddenly and momentarily brought to life, echoed in his processor and he looked at Sideswipe with a new familiarity before he shrugged it off.

□■□■□■

“Promise you'll come back soon? Your my pretend cousin, Strongarm, but you're still family,” Hank pointed out, quickly hugging the femme's outstretched hand.

“I promise. Like I told Nitro, give it a few days,” Strongarm stood up, since she had been crouching, as soon as Nitrobolt came up with Sideswipe, taking the sleeping bot from him. “See you guys….Say goodbye to Henry for me.”

Nitrobolt nodded, and he and Hank waved at her before she disappeared into the surrounding wood.

□■□■□■

“Did you like the move?” Russell asked, smugly, when he finished his little dance.

“Like is a….” Denny hesitated, trying to find the right thing to say to spare his son's feelings, “....very strong word.”

A metal clanking implored him to look towards the Autobots, who were putting together his recently bought roller coaster track—why he bought it in the first place confused him, though, it may have been because Diego had shown a great interest in it, saying it reminded him something of an amusement park his parents were going to take him to before they disappeared—and he watched in awe as they so easily put it all. It took a whole team of humans with cranes to put something like this together, but the made it look as easy as assembling a coffee table table from an IKEA….and even that was hard sometimes.

“Ah, the autobots make it look so easy,” Denny said, “moving tons of metal like that.”

“It is easy….if you were 3 stories tall and could crush train cars with your bare hands,” Russell quipped.

He sighed, “We must seem like insignificant little…. _bugs_ to them.”

“We give them a safe place to stay and help them stay hidden! That's important stuff,” He pointed out.

Denny begrudgingly agreed with a small nod.

“Still a few beams to bring in, Denny, but we're just about done,” Bumblebee said as he and the others walked up to them.

“Hey, guys!” Diego called out, running up to them, dragging a wagon with a few poster boards. He skidded to a halt upon seeing the progress made on the roller coaster. “Whoa….You guys work fast.”

“What's in the wagon, kid?” “Sideswipe” asked. “Art project?”

Diego nodded, handing each of the bots a poster board, “I made one for each of you!”

“Awesome!” Grimlock grinned as he looked over the portrait made of him. “Ya really got all my good sides.”

“You did a great job, Diego,” Bee smiled. “Almost looks like a photo.”

“Primus, am I handsome,” “Sideswipe” smirked at his picture. “Thanks.”

“Drift….did I do a good job on you, Slipstream, and Jetstorm?” Diego inquired bashfully. “I hope you don't mind but….I made you smile….”

Drift looked down at him sternly, optics cold and hard. Suddenly, he cracked a small smile and nodded.

“Denny, this is for you!” He handed the man a picture—this one on paper. It was, of course, of him and he was caught by surprise by the fact that, true to Bee's statement, it was almost like a photo, but drawn and colored in markers. He was crouched in front of something and holding his hand out, a soft smile playing on his lips, eyes full of sympathy.

“That's when you found me,” Diego said.

“Diego….this is awesome! I mean it, this is….wow. I love this!” He exclaimed. “This is going on the fridge—No, a picture frame. I got one lying around here somewhere, c'mon,” Denny went to the diner.

“Are you kidding me? He gets the attention?” Russell snarled quietly, glaring daggers at Diego. “Fu...ricking kid.”

“Are you okay, Russell?” Bee asked, noticing his sudden change.

“Yeah, I'm—” He tensed, looking back as Denny cheered upon finding a frame and putting up the picture. “Just peachy.”

He turned to walk away, but Diego stopped him.

“Russell, I almost forgot, I made one for you, too—”

“Leave me alone, you little….twerp!” Russell snapped at Diego and stomped away.

“Whoa, what was _that_ about?” Grimlock asked aloud a moment later.

Diego looked down at the picture he'd drawn of Russell. His mouth twisted into a scowl and he crushed it into a ball and threw it at him. It bounced of the back of his head, but he didn't chase after him like he usually would, much to Diego's relief. He walked away, too, in his own direction, muttering angrily.

Russell had been like this for a while. Then again, he'd always been sort of mean to him ever since he came. It had just gotten worse. What he wouldn't give just to sock him, but, like Mommy and Daddy had said, unless you've weighed out all your options violence should never be an answer. Especially over something so petty.

But they also would say when someone fails to treat you with respect you should teach them a lesson….by any means necessary—No, no wait. That was his crazy uncle.

“Hey, Diego,” “Sideswipe” said. “What's up?”

“Who wants to know?” The boy asked.

“I just wanted to make sure you didn't lose this,” He crouched and handed him, the picture of Russell he had thrown.

“Huh? I don't want this and neither does that….jerk,” He frowned. “I should just throw it out since I can't dump the real one in a dumpster—”

“Hey! Go easy on him. He just feels threatened by you, is all.”

“I'm a little kid, the worst I could do is break his nose….or ankle or kneecaps. I know how to do those very easily. Come to think of it, I am a threat to him physically—”

“Besides that. Russell just feels like I did when Nitrobolt came to the team. I saw him as somewhat better than me in every way. He was mature, highly skilled,  smarter; he was just more. I felt he was a threat to my spot on the team, that with him they wouldn't need me, they wouldn't _want_ me, anymore. And then I'd be alone again….” He trailed off. “You came, Diego, in all your glory, a smart little boy. The big bots have started to work more closely with you because of your intelligence and Russell has begun to feel left out, not needed. As an only child his whole life, he's used to being the center of attention and he feels you're taking his place, kind of like how Sideswipe—I mean, uh, _I_ felt with Nitrobolt.”

Diego nodded in understanding and looked down at the picture. “So you're saying….that I should give Russell another chance?”

“Yup—”

《 _Sideswipe, it's go time! There's a strange signal we need to check out._ 》Bee interrupted.

“Got it!”

“Hey, Sideswipe, um, thanks. For the little talk,” Diego smiled. “I….needed to hear that or else I would have done something stupid.”

“Anytime, Diego. See you later,” He smiled back.

Diego looked at the picture again and stuffed it in his pocket. He would try to give it to him later, when he wasn't upset.

For now, he'd see if Fix-It needed any help.

Upon nearing the command center, he heard Russell giggle.

“Sit. Stay! Good boy,” He said joyfully.

 _Hmm….Guess he's in a better mood. Did Denny give him a puppy_ —

“RUSSELL, GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!” Fix-It's ear piercing screech rang throughout.

Diego quickened his pace to a sprint and he arrived just as Denny stood protectively in front of Russell while the trembling minicon shakily aimed a blaster at him.

Diego quickly went to Fix-It, telling him to calm down about whatever he was freaking out about.

“Fix-It, what the hell is wrong with you!?” Denny shouted. “Put the gun down!”

“Denny Clay and Russell, st-step today- _KZZT!_ Away from t-that monster!”

“Monster? He wouldn't hurt anyone! Look at him, would something so cute be so evil?” Russell asked. Diego went in for a closer look, seeing a little metallic creature about the size of a softball. It had two big baby blue optics and let out soft whirs that he could of sworn sounded more like purrs as Russell pet him.

“He's right, Fix, doesn't look like it could hurt a—” He stopped suddenly, form becoming rigid as he looked over the thing once more.

“Diego? Are you okay?” Denny asked.

A scream was his answer as he backed up and hid behind the minicon.

“It's a scraplet! Th-They eat and they eat and they kill on sight!” Diego cried. “Get it away!”

The fierce creature dropped out of Russell's arms and scurried towards them. Fix-It shot aimlessly at it to no avail. It lunged at them….and began _viciously_ nuzzling Fix-It.

“What in Primus’ name….” Fix-It retracted his blaster.

“See? Friendly,” Russell stated knowingly. “He eats these though,” He threw a screw at it and it devoured it instantly before continuing to nuzzle Fix-It. “I think he likes you.”

The minicon hesitantly picked it up and kept it at arm's length. The scraplet made happy whirs and let out a few chirps. Fix-It laughed nervously, “Heh, yes. It does. It actually does. Good boy….See, Diego? Nice.”

“Okay….” He gulped. “Hi….Robert? Your name is Robert.”

“Robert" stiffened and turned his gaze to the boy. He hopped off Fix-It and scuttled towards him, hopping onto his lap.

“Yeah, Robert, you won't hurt us. You're a good boy!” Diego grinned and giggled softly as he pet him.

“Why are you calling him Robert?” Russell asked with a light scowl.

“That's his name, see?” He pointed to a line of small glyphs painted on Robert's head.

“That's Cybertronian. When did you learn how to read our language?” Fix-It questioned in disbelief.

“I….taught myself. It's pretty easy.”

“Oh.”

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, the main gate opened as a lone lupine like figure made his way inside.


	15. Ch. 14

Sideswipe's optics shot open, and he was struck dumb by the sight by the trees surrounding him. He could've sworn he just blinked.

“You awake?” Strongarm asked, sitting on the ground next to him. 

“Yeah….how'd we get here?”

“I kinda had to knock you out to give you something to help your legs. Here,” She handed him a vial, “drink this and you'll be good.”

He nodded and muttered “Thanks" before he took it and drank it. Instantly, he felt….well more alive! The feeling returned to his legs and he jumped to stand. “Woo! I feel fan-fragging-tastic! What was that stuff?”   


“A sample of some special energon, pretty much rejuvenates you,” She answered. “Can't have you at your worst when the rest of your….our team comes.”   


He frowned.  _ Why would she not refer to it as “our team” first? _ “Why not just go back to base?”   


“....I don't want to be arrested as soon as I get there.”

“Oh. Well thanks, anyway,” He rolled his arm around and flexed his digits. “What was that place you brought me to?”   


“Uh, just some old base I found….when I left,” She replied, sounding very distant and….sad. “I've been staying there with n….obody.”   


This confused the red mech. She was so happy before, what had changed?   
She had a hand pressed against her chest, above her spark, and she was quietly talking to herself—no, wait, she was humming. It's a very happy tune, calm and carefree. Easy to dance to, very slowly.   


Now where have I heard that before? He pondered before it hit him.   


Nitrobolt.    


When he'd  ~~ spy on ~~ see Strongarm and Nitrobolt, they would sometimes dance together and it was always to that song.   
Why would she be humming the song unless—   


“Hey, so, what ever happened to Nitrobolt?” Sideswipe asked.   


She jolted in surprise, almost like she'd forgotten he was there. “He's….somewhere.”   


“Where, Strongarm?” His frown deepened. She was….lying to him. He could tell, because she wouldn't even look at him.    


“I don't know where he is exactly at this moment….exactly.”   
She was protecting him. But why?

“Sideswipe….” She spoke up, her voice quiet and she stared at him with sad optics.

“Yeah? What's wrong?” He asked.

“I'm sorry. For everything….I didn't mean to leave the team and everything behind. I just couldn't….” She sighed, shaking her helm, “I couldn't stay, I didn't want to.” 

He gaped, a visible anger meshed with sadness written on his face “W…..What are you saying?”

“I just want you to know that….it was my choice. I'm sorry if in the end I chose wrong, but it was always my choice,” She flashed that strange light in front of his optics and once again he became tired and fell into her arms. She gently laid him down against the tree and he at last heard her say again before his world dwindled into nothing, “I'm sorry.”

  
Sideswipe woke up a moment later to Bumblebee shouting his name.   
“Bee! You won't believe this but I missed you so much!” Sideswipe exclaimed jovially, forgetting his previous train of thought as he ran up to the mech, expecting an ounce of relief but instead Bumblebee scowled at him.   


“Sideswipe, what are you doing here!?”   


“What? Bee….aren't you happy to see me?”   


“No, you're supposed to be with Grimlock!” He frowned. “Don't tell me you just left him….”   
“I've been gone for practically a month!” The younger mech shouted angrily. “How could I have done anything?!”   


“What do you mean you've been gone for over a month? You've been with us….” Bee trailed off. “Unless….”   


“I was attacked and I don't remember much,” Sideswipe explained, “but they drank my energon and left me. Then Strongarm found me and I've been with her ever since—”   


“Strongarm!? Where is she?”   


“Right—” He turned to where was supposed to be but she'd disappeared. “Here. Where'd she go?”

He looked around frantically and shouted her name but she was already far gone.   


Strongarm heard him, very faintly, and continued to run through the woods in a frenzy.   


She couldn't go back.   


She wasn't ready to go back.   


That team wasn't hers. It hadn't been for the longest time.   


Going back wouldn't feel like home.    


She'd feel like a stranger in a strange land.   


She wanted to go back, but did she  _ need to _ ? 

Things were fine, they looked fine, she hoped they were fine.   


Was she being selfish? Of course she was. 

She was hurting people. She hurt Sideswipe once and she was doing it again without most of a second thought.    


But she wanted to go home.    


Back to Nitrobolt, Henry, and Hank.   


It was safe with them. She wanted to feel safe.   


Soon she was back and she ran straight to Nitrobolt and into his arms, and again, she was safe. She was happy.

“I'm coward, aren't I?” She asked him.

“No, no you aren't. You just weren't ready.  _ That's okay  _ and it's going to be okay, Strongarm,” He assured her. “We'll try again later and I'll come with you.”

“Thank you, Nitro….”

Yes, she was selfish. But, who could blame her?

□■□■□■

“I can't believe she left again….” Sideswipe murmured as he and Bumblebee ran to Grimlock and the imposter's position. “It's all Nitrobolt's fault! He made her like this! Just wait until I get my hands on him, I'll—”

“Stop, Sideswipe! Just stop!” Bumblebee yelled, and he turned to face him with a frown. “Nitrobolt has never done anything wrong! If anything, this entire situation is our faults!  _ We  _ jumped to conclusions because we were angry instead of questioning things!  _ We  _ decided not to have faith in a bot who had shown in such a short time that he'd lay his life down for all of us!  _ We  _ ended doing something that I deeply regret.  _ We  _ scared them both away….” He sighed, “and they are gone because of us and continuing to be angry about it is not helping anyone. Now come on….we got a imposter to catch”

Sideswipe blinked, shocked at Bee's outburst, and he hung back a moment as he debated. 

Was this whole thing their faults? Could it be Strongarm was scared of them—of him? Is that why she left again?

No, it was Nitrobolt's fault. It always has been.


	16. Ch. 15

Grimlock!”

The dinobot looked back and saw Bumblebee and Sideswipe running  towards him.

“Hey, Bee. Sideswipe,” He grinned, “how is it going?”

“Where's Sideswipe!?”

“With you,” He answered, pointing at the red mech. 

“No, the one that was with you!”

Grimlock laughed quietly, “That wasn't Sideswipe, Bee, that was an angel!”

“....What?”

“Yeah, he turned all glowy and stuff and told me he was sent here to watch us and see how we were doing,” He said a matter-a-factly. 

“Angel? Angel?! The fragger bit down on my neck and drank my energon and left me unconscious!” Sideswipe exclaimed, pointing to two small, and very faint, dots on his neck. “I got scars! What type of an angel is that??”

Bee froze and leaned in for a better look. “It was definitely Zugzwang….Did he say who sent him, Grimlock?”

“Nah….but he told me to tell you something….Bumblebee, you should never, _ ever, _ forget who your friends are,” Grimlock remarked cryptically, “and where is my little shade? Does that mean anything?”

Bee thought a moment. Something about a little shade sounded vaguely familiar….but he couldn't place where he heard it from. He shook his head. “No. Not yet. When did the “angel” leave?”

“Just a few seconds before you guys came.”

“Good, he shouldn't be that far. Fix-It,” He commed, “can you try detecting any weird signals nearby?”

Static.

“Fix-It? Fix-It, do you read?” Again, no response, just glitchy static. “Scrap! Drift—No, we didn't find anything other than the real Sideswipe….I'll explain later but right now we need to get back to base! Something isn't right!”

□■□■□■

“Robert, go fetch!” Diego threw the pipe, and the scraplet followed it as it sailed through the air before it crashed to the ground and it retrieved it. “Good boy—Hey!”

Before he could get the pipe from Robert, Russell took it.

“Fetch!” Russell exclaimed, expecting Robert to chase it, but instead his newfound pet stayed by Diego….and it felt like it was glaring at him. “Go fetch, Pipes. C'mon!”

“That's not his name—”

“Do you think I give a—”

“—and that name already belongs to someone,” Diego cut him off and he looked down at the scraplet. “Get it, Robert.”

Unlike with Russell, it listened. 

“See? You just need to—”

“Just great!” He frowned. “You had to ruin this for me, too. He's my pet, not yours!”

“He belongs to someone else,” He disputed.

“Well, finders keepers, he's mine now.”

“No he isn't.”

“Yes he is.”

“No he isn't!”

“Yes he is, you stupid twerp!” Russell snapped.

“No he isn't, you fragging glitch head!” Diego snapped back. “Just because you found him doesn't make him yours, we're just looking after him because his owner lost him—”

“What? Like your parents?” He let out a small, indignant laugh. “They probably lost you on purpose because who wants a brat like you for a kid!”

It was only after the last few words, Russell realized he had gone too far as Diego looked to the ground. He heard him begin to sniffle softly and whimper as his own heart began to wrench.

“Diego….I-I didn't mean to say that. Diego, I'm sorry,” He tried to apologize. “Don't cry—”

Fists suddenly collided with his face and he stumbled backwards and fell to the ground and he could taste his blood as it fell into his mouth

“F-f-fruck! I think you broke my nose!” He wailed as he sat up and he faintly caught a glimpse of Diego running away before disappearing into the endless heaps of scrap. 

□■□■□■

The young boy finally stopped running when he tripped. He sat himself up, pulling his knees to his chest and crying.

Sideswipe was wrong. Russell didn't deserve another chance. He didn't even deserve that picture. His parents wouldn't leave him. How could they? They were taken from him. Even if that weren't true they still wouldn't leave him. 

“Sometimes I wonder what the colors mean when I see them dancing in your eyes _ ….” _ He recited to himself quietly a poem he vaguely remembered hearing them say to him, “ _.... _ I watch them shimmer and sparkle. And in those colors I could see a glimpse of paradise _ …. _ ” 

Suddenly, he heard a heavy sigh from behind him and someone click their tongue. “The older human child needs to mind his words….we'll teach him a lesson soon enough.”

Diego turned around and gasped, managing a small yelp as a large hand wrapped around him snatched him off the ground. 

□■□■□■

“Let's get this straight: You tripped and your face smashed into one of the car?” Denny asked.

Russell nodded as he plugged up his nose with pieces of tissue to lessen the bleeding. “My shoelaces were loose.”

“Where's Diego?”

“With the scraplet.”

“He's being awfully quiet….”

“Maybe they fell asleep, you know Diego was up all night learning how to….calibrate the subsystems of the, uh, groundbridge.”

Denny frowned a moment. Even though he hadn't been a staple in Russell's life for many years, he could tell his son was no doubt lying. A face full of car hood doesn't give you a black eye and a bloody nose. Given what he knew of Diego and his skills and how Russell had been acting to the boy since he came to live with them….Russell may have gone too far this time.

“Russell, tell me the truth. What did you—”

“The comm systems they've been jammed!” Fix-It exclaimed, interrupting him. “Who could have....” He gasped. “This is impolite—Imposter—Impossible! The gate is open and perimeter security is down!”

“We'd better check this out!” Denny said, forgetting about Russell.

“No, don't! We may already be—”

Denny skidded to a halt and his stood still, frozen with fear, as they were met face to face with their intruders.


	17. Ch. 16

“Well, well. A welcoming committee!” the wolf like Decepticon Denny knew as Steeljaw smiled. “How very kind.”

Two of his lackeys, one who could only be described as a crab and the second had antlers, came towards them and grabbed him and Russell.

As they struggled, Steeljaw spoke up again, “Fracture, perhaps one of your little friends can relieve the Mini-Con of his duties for a while?”

The purple one who was standing off to the side, who Denny remembered invaded his scrapyard a few months ago, deployed one of his minicons. The con landed in the control center and began tinkering with the computers.

“I beg your pardon!” Fix-It gasped.

“Not to worry, just upgrading your security system,” the wolficon replied calmly.

“With the limited materials on Earth? Heh,” the orange minicon scoffed. “Look, there is nothing you could possibly do to upgrade—”

“Oh,” Steeljaw cut him up abruptly, “but you're wrong….or are you not aware of my previous crimes? Bring up my dossier Airazor! This should be  _ fun _ .” 

The minicon at the controls typed away, bringing up the file on him. 

“Oh, I'm well aware of your reputation,” Fix-It frowned. “Jailed for instigating rebellion. Knowledge of subsonics. But—”

“Subsonics, precisely! Your security system can easily be rewired to emit sonic pulses that don't affect bots outfitted with the special chips I cobbled together for my friends and me. But aren't nearly as kind to standard Auto and Dinobots, as Bee and his team will soon discover,” He grinned, flicking the minicons helm.

Denny remembered suddenly that a certain little someone wasn't in sight. 

“Hey! You with the ears!” He shouted at Steeljaw. The 'cons helm shot back with a hard glare that would kill him if it were possible. He gulped, “Y-Yeah, you! Where's Diego? I know you got him!”

“You mean the small human child?” Steeljaw opened up a hand, revealing Diego lying motionless. 

Denny gasped, “What did you do to him you dirty piece of—”

“He's perfectly fine. Just fainted. Very delicate, this one and….very adorable for a human. It's so hard not to squash him by accident. Just squeeze a little too hard and then….” Steeljaw chuckled. “You get the idea.”

“If you hurt him I'll—”

“You'll what?” He scoffed before he laid Diego down on a spot on the ground where there was shade and he wasn't likely to be smashed. “It's not him you should worry about. It's that son of your's. A real brat that one. Not to mention cruel….maybe you should lose him on purpose. Right, boy?”

Russell visibly shuddered and nodded. 

A roar of of engines in the near distance prompted another sly smile to play on Steeljaw's lips.

“Looks like the Autobots are almost here. Let's greet them and show them what a swell time we're having here.”

□■□■□■

Steeljaw arrived just in time to see Bumblebee scream as, most likely, an audial shattering sound pierced through and sent sharp pains coursing through his frame. 

“Like the tone of our new doorbell, Bumblebee?” He asked snarkily. 

As expected, the Autobots foolishly tried to get the humans with expected results, even when the small one warned them. Bumblebee ordered them to turn off their audio receptors and they received nothing but pain as payment.

“No good,” Bumblebee groaned in pain. “It must affect all our systems….Not just auditory….”   


“I would have modified the defense fields' subsonics to destroy you, but the power source was too limited,” Steeljaw said with a hint of satisfaction.    


“It's okay, Bee! We're fine!” the small one cried.

“Let them go, Steeljaw!” Bumblebee slurred.   


“Better yet, let's discuss my team's demands,” He held a clawed digit against the small one's neck. “Throw us your weapons.”

There was hesitation….though not much as there should have been because they tossed them a moment later.

“Thunderhoof, bring them here.”

Thunderhoof groaned in response, “Go here. Do that. I was a boss on Cybertron!”

Steeljaw went up to him and snarled, “This isn't Cybertron.”  

The other blinked in response, almost like he was processing what he'd said. Then he grumbled a few select curses and picked up the weapons, tossing them at his feet.   


“Fine, just leave them here. There is no way for you and your motley crew to retrieve them through the sonic field,” He remarked snidely.    
Bumblebee staggered towards him and grunted, 

“I'll…. _ ugh _ ….find a way,  _ hngh _ , Steeljaw.”   


_ Pathetic, simply pathetic.  _ He thought, laughing haughtily. 

“You can try! But I would advise you all to flee instead because soon you'll be far outnumbered,” His mouth curled into a smirk, “and torn into spare parts.”

And with that, he and his fellow comrades turned and walked away.

□■□■□■

Diego quickly sat up with a surprised shout. 

“Look, the boy awakens.”

He looked up and saw the wolf like Decepticon looking back down at him. 

“Steeljaw! What are you….what did you do to Denny and Russell and Fix-It?” He demanded. He pushed himself up to stand. He went into a fighting stance and snarled. “If you hurt them, I'll frag you up so bad your own creator won't recognize you—Hey!”

Steeljaw picked him up by the scruff of his collar. He swung aimlessly at the wolficon, who had begun to chuckle. “As determined and  _ amusing _ you are I doubt you'd be able to do anything. And the minicon and other humans? They're fine.”

He put him down, rejoining him with the rest of his compatriots before turning to Clampdown. “Clampdown, open these Pods and set our Decepticon brethren free.”

Clampdown eagerly snapped his claws and went to open a pod.   


“Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!!!” Fix-It shouted and rolled in front of the pod. “Uh, the pods can only be unlocked from the command console, or-or-or—” Clampdown hit him to get him back in order. “Or they explode!”

Underbite immediately went up and sniffed him. He snarled. “He's lying….I can smell it.”

Steeljaw snatched him off the ground and tossed him into the command center. “Then  _ you'll _ open the pods.”   


“Heh….Sure, I'd-I'd be happy to….” He replied nervously, silently rejoicing that his lie was bought. 

Meanwhile, Denny looked around hopelessy.   


“....We don't have a chance,” He remarked quietly. “Not with all these enormo-robo-crooks waiting to stomp us at any moment!”   


“I'm not so sure, Dad….” Russell replied.

Noticing Russell was staring at something, he followed his son's gaze to the purple chompazoid and Diego talking to him.

“....Underbite, see that boat there?” Diego whispered, pointing to one nearby. “Looks pretty delicious, don't it?”

He nodded salivating as he gulped and continued to stare hungrily at it. 

The boy looked back at the others and mouthed “Run!”

And they did, quickly hiding when they heard Steeljaw shout and someone come towards them.

They took a peek when they heard a transformation, seeing Thunderhoof and Clampdown and retreating when they passed. 

“Let's take these two down, guys,” Russell whispered, tone eager with a look of tenacity. 

“Yeah, Denny!” Diego agreed.   


“If by take them down, you mean surrender before they smoosh us,” Denny paused and took a breath, “I'll consider it then.”

Diego frowned, “C'mon….don't give up. Do I hear this coming from the same Denny who told me how he masqueraded as a security guard—knowing the consequences if he was caught—just to help his friend get her wedding ring back from the lost and found in the mall during closing hours? Or the Denny who—”

Denny shook his head, “I'm still that Denny, Diego. But I'm also the Denny who had to bury two of his friends a few weeks ago and doesn't want either of you or even me to join them anytime soon.”

There was a stun silence that followed and none of them talked for a few moments. 

“Dad….hate that I'm saying this, but Diego's kinda right,” Russell sighed. “We shouldn't give up! We have the scrapyard. And no one knows it better than we do.”

He swabbed some grease of a nearby engine.   
“It's time to switch from defense,” He painted two lines on his face, “to offense!”


	18. Ch. 17

“Okay….we clear on the plan?” Russell asked one last time and Denny nodded while Diego shook his head. He groaned. “What now?”

“I have a bad feeling about this whole thing,” Diego replied despondently.

“Diego,” Denny put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, “you don't have—”

“Really you don't,” Russell grumbled.

Denny shot Russell a look of displeasure for a moment before he continued, “You don't have to do this with us. You can go hide. You're small and it'd be hard for them to find you—”

“No. I'm a warrior, that's what Mommy and Daddy always told me and that's what I am, I don't back down” He affirmed. Suddenly he froze and turned around, his stance becoming defensive. “They're nearby.”

The trio got into position just in time as their pursuers hastily rounded the corner.

They all grinned and waved as planned, enticing Thunderhoof and Clampdown to give chase. They ran as fast as they could out the back gates, skidding to a halt when they neared the ledge and stopping a moment to catch their breaths.

“We're really doing this!” Denny panted. 

“Yeah, yes, we are,” Russell nodded. 

“Here they come,” Diego shouted.

They jumped down off the ledge and of course the captors followed….and landed right on the roller coaster tracks the Autobots had set up earlier.

They watched with great amusement as as the Decepticons screamed and shouted on their way down the rails. When the trio had reached the bottom, they opened the trailer meant to hold their pursuers just as they were about to reach the bottom. Denny and Diego even cheered along with Russell until their cheers faltered as they saw Clampdown dig his pincers into the ground. It slowed him and Thunderhoof down and sending them both crashing into a pile of junk.

“Emergency ejection!” Russell shouted and activated the Rube Goldberg-esque escape mechanism. It all seemed to be going so smoothly as expected when they all grabbed onto the anchor and it lifted them off the ground.

But there's a thing about expectations—that they learned but refused to accept—sometimes they don't always go well.

Time slowed to sickening crawl when Denny was taken from them by the crabcon. Russell cried out to his dad, wanting to jump down and go after him, but he was frozen with fear.

Diego said something to him, but he couldn't even hear him.

Then, all at once and without warning, Diego let go and he watched him plummet. Something on the boy's wrist glinted in the light and he saw a blade in place where his watch should've been. He tackled one of Clampdown's optic stalks and stabbed his optic making him drop his dad and scream.

Russell watched in horror as in retaliation the crabcon tore Diego off him, crushing him in his claws, before tossing him away.

Diego didn't move.

All he could see was the puddle of blood growing around him.

He screamed, at least he thought he did, as he got further and further away to safety.

□■□■□■

Denny ran to Diego and gathered Diego in his arms while Thunderhoof and Clampdown were still distracted by the latter's damaged optic.

He wasn't moving, he was hardly breathing. His eyes seemed to even be getting darker.

“Diego, why? Why would you do that?” Denny questioned, almost in a sob as he held him.

“Daddy….Mommy….t-taught….to s-save….” Diego answered weakly. He coughed out blood and began shivering. “I-I want….Mommy and Daddy….I want my….family….”

Denny held him closer and he cradled his frail body back and forth. “Okay, Diego, just hold on….hold on….”

"Denny....I don't feel so good," Diego coughed out more blood and his breaths became more shallow and distant.

"No....no!" He shook his head furiously. “It's going to be okay, little guy, it's going to be--"

Suddenly, Diego began to flicker right before his eyes much to his shock and horror. It was almost as though the boy himself wasn't real, but an image. A hologram. A living, breathing hologram. 

"Diego?" He gasped as the boy faded away until there was no evidence he ever existed. Even the blood was gone. “Diego?” He repeated frantically. “Diego where'd you go—”

“Yeah,” Thunderhoof said as he snatched him off the ground, “where is dat little squishy?”

□■□■□■

Somewhere else in the scrapyard, Diego's little bike lay on the ground somewhat forgotten. It was a small mini blue motorcycle to be exact.

He was found with it, he was brought with it. He rarely used it, so it just ended up being moved around until it winded up in here.

It played there forgotten and dead.

But….not quite.

The wheels began to spin slowly and the engine hummed softly, the headlights began flickering life.

Something began whirring and the metal that made up the bike began splitting up and rearranging.

Moments later, in its place stood a small  blue youngling.

He vented rapidly as he frantically looked around in confusion. He let out a pained moan and held his side, pulling away a clawed hand to see it stained with his energon.

“Ineritio…..” He whispered and clambered over the wall in front of him, running as soon as he landed on the ground into the forest, leaving a small trail of energon in his wake.


	19. Ch. 18

“Where are the smaller ones!?” Steeljaw bellowed when Thunderhoof and Clampdown returned with only the human adult.

“Somebody let da blue one slip through deir claws,” Thunderhoof grumbled. 

“Me? I'm the bot who actually caught a human!” Clampdown argued.

“Wait a moment….” Steeljaw squinted, “what happened to your optic?” 

“Da tiny one stabbed it out! It was kinda funny,” Thunderhoof snickered. 

“And where is he?”

They both shrugged.

He growled and knocked them both to the side. “You let him escape—”

“He's dead,” the human broke in. Steeljaw looked at him, taking notice that the man looked shattered. 

“Come again?” He asked.

The man nodded shakily, “….He died in my arms….then he just disappeared.”

He raised an optic ridge and looked at Thunderhoof. “Can you confirm this?”

“Kinda. I look back one moment and he was still dere and I look again and de kid's gone! No more blood, no nothing!” He replied with frustration as he pushed himself back up.

Suddenly they heard a car beeping from near the entrance. 

It stopped for a moment before continuing, this time along with someone shouting.

“Fracture,” Steeljaw gestured to the purple mech, “go check it out—”

“No!” the human interrupted, shrinking a little in fear as every boy looked at him. “L-Look….she's probably here to pick up some parts for her uncle, he's a mechanic you see. She is not in any way a threat. I'll make her leave.”

Another round of loud beeps erupted and Steeljaw sighed. “Fine. But if you so much as ask for help I swear….”

“I know, I know. She wouldn't believe me anyway.”

□■□■□■

Sierra honked her horn again. “Denny!”

“I'm here! Right here,” He ran up to her with a smile. “How are you doing?”

“Fine. Uncle Henry's occupied so I'm picking up those parts you said you had for that Cadillac,” She replied. “They're in the back right—”

“Ooh….about that,” He stopped her, “they, um, got damaged.”

“How?”

“I had a little mishap with the crane. Ended up crushing them,” He answered nervously. 

“Oh….” She sighed. “Guess his engagement gift is gonna have to wait another few days.”

He guided her back to her car outside the gate, and they were about to say goodbye until she noticed something. 

“Did someone break in? I notice the security box is broken.”

His face went pale as he shook his head quickly. “No! Russell just crashed his bike into it….crazy kid. Gave himself a black eye and a bloody nose, hehe.”

“Okay. What are those?” She pointed at the pile of decepticon hunters. 

“Nothing! Nothing! Just a….piece of modern art. A little….strange but that is what they call art,” He laughed nervously. “I'm closing a little early today my….dad is sick and we're going to see him.”

Sierra stopped just short of stepping into her car and frowned. 

“What?”

“Is….something wrong? You seem really jumpy,” She commented on his somewhat disheveled appearance. 

“My dad's sick, why wouldn't I be?”

She hesitated, brows furrowing, and Denny was afraid she would press further. To his relief she smiled and said she hoped his father would get better and got in her car, driving away.

He sighed in relief, just as he was picked off the ground again.

“Good work, human. You prove yourself useful yet,” Steeljaw said as he carried him back to the command center. 

□■□■□■

Strongarm stopped not to far from the entrance and parked. 

Something was definitely up. 

The Bee Team wouldn't just leave their hunters all willy nilly and, last she remembered, Denny was raised by his grandparents because both his parents had died. Of course, this wasn't common knowledge and he wouldn't expect a “Sierra Costin” to know. But she herself knew this to be true. 

And Russell couldn't have crashed his bike into the box because, one, he didn't own or even know how to ride one and, two, those wires were torn. 

Something was definitely up. She could feel it in her circuits. 

She transformed and circled the perimeter quietly on foot.

She quickly stumbled upon the Bee Team and froze, but they took notice of her. 

Bumblebee, Drift, Grimlock, and Sideswipe were all looking at the ground as the first former drew out a potential plan on the ground. 

Seeing them all again, excluding Sideswipe….was quite jarring. When she had seen them last, just a few months ago, they were unconscious on the ground. 

Now they were all standing there and most likely kicked out the scrap yard by invaders, and they needed help. Her help.

“Bee? Bee!” She heard Russell cry out frantically and the others look up and approach him.

“Russell, are you all right? Where's Denny and Diego?” Bee asked.

“Steeljaw's pack has my dad but….” He trailed off and clamped his eyes shut. 

“What is it? What's wrong?” He asked.

“Diego….I couldn't stop him. He let go to save Dad and….then Clampdown threw him….” He began to shake. “There was so much blood….I d-don't know if he's okay.”

An air of dread began to slowly surround them all.

“You have to help.”

“We can't even get close!” Grimlock replied hopelessly. “We tried to go under and over the sonic field, but couldn't get low or high enough.”

“Steeljaw re-rigged the security console in the command center. I-I can't get to it with Fracture's Mini-Cons standing guard,” Russell frowned. 

“I think….I could help!” Strongarm finally spoke up. 

Everyone jolted in surprise and turned towards her. Their immediate reactions varied from getting into a fighting stance to cocking their helms to the side with a look of recognition. 

“Strongarm, your back!” Sideswipe exclaimed and ran to her side. “See? See? She's right here!”

“Hey guys….” Strongarm looked to her former commander and saluted him. “Lieutenant Bumblebee, it is quite a pleasure to see you. All of you.”

Bee smiled softly and put a hand on her shoulder. “At ease, cadet. We missed you, too.”

Strongarm smiled back and brought her hand down and her outlook became stern. 

“What happened today? Your decepticon hunters are by the front, security system is down, and what is this I hear about Steeljaw and the Pack? We thought you guys captured them all.”

“Steeljaw escaped during the raid. It appears he knew we were coming and prepared for it,” Drift answered. 

“It's likely that his plan was to wait for us to let our guard down. Then he broke in while we all were gone and released his comrades,” Bumblebee figured. “....What do you mean we?”

Strongarm looked away for a moment and took a deep vent to reassure herself. She turned back and answered with conviction, “Nitrobolt and I.”

Initially they looked shocked, Sideswipe even gasped….and he looked almost hurt by this.

“Where is Nitrobolt?” Bee asked a moment later.

“At home—”

“Home?” Sideswipe questioned, downhearted. 

“—and honestly I'm only here because I came to pick something up for Henry….but then I saw the state of the scrapyard and then I heard about that little boy,” She sighed. “You need our help.”

Bee paused a moment in debate. He looked at Russell, who was still shaking ever so slightly with a few tears beginning to brim over his eyes, and then to the rest of his team before turning back his gaze to her.

“What do you have in mind?” He inquired. 

“Nitrobolt has vast experience with Steeljaw and his gadgets,” Strongarm explained. 

“Call him up.”


	20. Ch.19

Henry laughed as Anita finished up her story about why Butch's actual name was Cynthia, nearly choking on a fry and catching the attention of everyone in the diner they were in. 

He was quick to regain his composure and as quickly as the attention came it left.

“So let me get this straight, when he was born the hospital mixed up his first name with a baby girl who was born the exact same time as him?” He asked and she nodded. 

“Somewhere out there there's a little girl named Mephistopheles,” She snickered. “I would've changed it by now but….it just stuck. Cynthia Butcher Negasi isn't that bad, is it?”

“Well….Cynthia is also be a boys name it just isn't that popular,” Henry pointed out. 

There was a bit of silence while the took a breather to just sit and eat for a moment. 

“.....Remember when I met you?” Henry asked. 

“How could I forget? I had to save your ass from drowning!” She exclaimed. “How did you fall out that boat again?”

“Champagne cork hit me in the face and I stumbled overboard….not my proudest moment, but hey, then I met you. And we were together for the rest of the night, remember?”

“Mhm….and for every day and night that followed. One of the best weeks of my life,” She sighed fondly. “We called each other every day after for months….Remember that night when I came to see you and say goodbye the day before I had to go?”

“It was beautiful,” They both professed as a tender smile touched their lips.

“Anita, when you add up how long we've known each other, it has been 3 whole months. But it feels like so much longer. With you I feel….like a p-puzzle with all its pieces!” He stammered. “I don't want us to ever end. And...um….”

Anita leaned forward in anticipation and asked quietly, “And what, Henry?”

“I had a speech but you know what, who cares! Anita Negasi,” He began and took both her hands in his own, letting their fingers interlock, “you are the love of my life and it would make me the happiest man in the universe if you would give me the honor of—”

Henry was abruptly by his phone ringing incessantly. He groaned and knit his brows in frustration.

“Excuse me a moment,” He sighed before he quickly answered it. “Hello….Hank, what's wrong?”

Anita noticed his demeanor become tense, his eyes widening in dismay.

“She what? Where? Oh my God I'll be right there!” He exclaimed.

“What happened?” Anita asked as soon as he hung up.

“My niece got into an accident! I'm sorry but I gotta go—”

“No, no it's alright! Go to her. I hope she's okay….”

“I hope so, too. Here!” He stood up and gave her a wad of money. “This is enough for food and a possible taxi! Better yet here are my keys just take my car and I'll take a taxi! Love you!”

He pecked her on the cheek and bolted out the door.

He ran straight to the alley where there was already a groundbridge portal waiting for him and he went through, immediately being transported to the bunker.

“Henry, here!” Nitrobolt tossed him a blaster. “You remember how to use that, right?”

“Yeah. Where's Hank?” 

“Here!” She ran up with her own. “You ready, Dad?”

Henry nodded, “Yup. Nitrobolt?”

“Yes,” He reopened the groundbridge and they went through. 

First thing Nitrobolt heard when they reached the other side was a collective gasp when he came into view followed by Henry and Hank. 

“Rusty!” Hank immediately ran to her friend's side and embraced him, as he was still crying. 

But other than her there was still a dead silence, even after the bridge closed with no other reaction but stunned silence—except for Strongarm, who came to stand by him, and Sideswipe, who looked like he wanted to kill him—for a moment before Bumblebee took a few steps forward.

The yellow mech's fists nervously clenched and unclenched and he took a long vent before he cleared his vocalizer.

“Hello, Nitrobolt,” He finally said, cracking a smile. “Thanks for coming.”

Nitrobolt smiled back, “No problem, Bee—”

“Took you long enough,” Sideswipe spat out.

“He barely took 2 minutes, Sideswipe, calm down,” Strongarm defended, slightly annoyed. 

“—tell me everything,” He asked, ignoring Sideswipe for now. 

Each of the members of the Bee Team quickly relayed what was going on and the plan they had come up with so far. 

“Okay, good plan but just because Steeljaw didn't mention minicons doesn't mean that's a loophole we can exploit. Steeljaw is a very tedious mech when comes down to the details,” Nitrobolt pondered for a moment before he took out his mask. “This makes a barrier around its wearer that repels subsonics. I made one like it for Strongarm.”

He reached into his mask and pulled out a small chip. Strongarm gave him hers and he did the same.  

“Drift, may I see your students?”

Drift nodded and deployed his students.

“Haven't seen you two in a minute, it's nice. Sorry….about what happened the last time,” He apologized and they nodded, smiling quickly. “Now stay very still, this might tickle a little,” He warned as he quickly tinkered with both of their insignias and installed the chips. “All set.”

“Okay, Strongarm, Sideswipe, and Grim, take up positions around the scrapyard perimeter and make as much noise as you can,” Bee ordered. “Henry, Hank, Russell—”

“Go in and wreak havoc,” Hank finished.

“Good. Are you sure you're up to this Russell?”

Russell nodded quickly. 

“In the meantime,” He turned to Nitrobolt and Drift, “you and I have some constructing to do.”

Everyone dispersed to do what was asked of them….almost everyone. 

“C'mon, Rusty!” Hank called when he just stood there, staring at the ground. “....Rusty, what's wrong?”

“I-I can't move,” He murmured quietly. 

“Why not?”

“I'm scared, Hank, I'm so scared….” He gulped and he looked at her still a little misty eyed. 

“Russell….” Henry knelt in front of him and offered a look of sympathy, “you don't have to come. You could stay here, you don't have to go back in. I'm sure the 9 of us can handle it.”

“That's not it. What if….what if Diego is dead? I was never nice to him! I was always a total a-a-asshole! All he did was try to be nice to me and I treated him like scrap….” He choked. “I didn't mean to. He's never going to know that.”

“Honor him then. If he is gone, then honor him. Be brave for him. Be brave for your dad,” Henry told him, firmly and yet so gently at the same time. “Be brave.”

Russell hesitated a moment, sniffling. Then he looked at the blaster in his hand and his hold on it tightened. He looked back up with a hardened visage and a frown. “Let's do it.”


	21. Ch. 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cut out the original beginning to the chapter because it was not working out for the story

Bumblebee looked down at the scrapyard from the ledge he, Nitrobolt, and Drift were positioned on.

“Okay, the rest of the Pack has dispersed. It's just Steeljaw and Fracture's minicons,” He said.

“Do we fire?” Drift asked.

“Not yet, still waiting for their signal….” He looked back down and, sure enough, the three humans were waving at them. “Ready?”

Drift deployed Slipstream and he landed in the bucket of the catapult.

“I am ready, ” the minicon affirmed.

They launched him and soared through the air, catching Steeljaw by surprise and crashed into the command center, missing the controls.

“Just missed,” Bumblebee said.

They readjusted the catapult and launched Jetstorm. He got off to a wobbly start, but he was able to successfully damage the controls.

“We got 'em! Bots, converge at the entrance but use extreme precaution! He may have set extra subsonics though it's not likely,” Nitrobolt commanded.

Bumblebee gave him a look and he chuckled nervously. “Sorry, Bumblebee—”

“No. No, it's alright,” He assured him. “Let's go!”

They all ran to the entrance, cautiously going in like Nitrobolt had advice. Finding it was safe, the bolted in and the Bee Team grabbed their weapons just as Steeljaw's pack came upon them.

They drew their weapons.

“Keep them occupied!” Bee shouted and sprinted towards the command center.

“We'll handle Steeljaw!” Nitrobolt added, following him.  

Nitrobolt was the first to reach the command center and he skidded to a halt, just barely a few feet from Steeljaw.

The other bared his fangs and growled for a moment preparing to attack, but all at once he froze. His optics widened and his jaw unhinged.

Steeljaw stared at the bot before him, at his mask.

_Steeljaw turned to face Nitrobolt with a toothy grin as he held a small box in his lap. “I have a surprise for you.”_

_“What is it?”_

_“….Close your optics.”_

_“Okay,” He shrugged. A moment later, he heard Steeljaw walk towards him and stop and mumble under his breath._

_“Do something vocal,” He said. “It needs to register your voice pattern.”_

_"What—”_

_“Please.”_

_"Okay, since you asked so nicely.” He whistled and clicked his glossa._

_“Good. Stay still….”_

_Nitrobolt felt his claws graze his neck for a second as they came into contact with his face, causing a chill to run up his spinal strut. He laughed wearily, “Please don't kill me….”_

_“Now why would I do that, Nitrobolt?” Steeljaw replied in disbelief as he pulled back his claws._

_"Can I open my optics now?”_

_“Wait.”_

_Suddenly, something began grafting itself onto his face and the soft click with a hiss of air that followed a moment later signaled the process was complete._

_“Now you can.”_

_“I already did but I can't see!” He exclaimed as he felt around blindly._

_“Ow!” Steeljaw yipped in pain._

_“I'm sorry!” He paused when he heard a beeping noise and an image flashed before his optics before it faded back into view. “Steeljaw….are you okay?”_

_The wolficon looked up, rubbing his sore snout. “Yes. I'm guessing you can see now?”_

_He nodded and looked around. “What is it?”_

_"A mask,” He answered. “It's protection for your face while in combat and it also offers protection against sub-sonics, among other things.”_ _  
_

“Thanks,” Nitrobolt took off the mask and sighed. “I feel bad I didn't make you anything….”

_“It's alright. You know I don't really want anything,” He reassured him. “To tell you the truth….I'm just glad you're still at my side.”_

_Nitrobolt smiled softly. “I love you.”_

_Steeljaw was still for a moment before he nodded, slowly, and began to smile._

_“I know.”_

Steeljaw was pulled back to reality when Bumblebee tackled him to the ground.

They rolled around, each trying to gain some control over the other.

Steeljaw kicked Bumblebee off, sending him crashing into one of the shelves of scrap.

“Oof!” Bee grunted and tried to stand. “Nitrobolt, why are you just—Argh!”

Steeljaw stepped on his chest and pinned him down.

“I've grown tired of your interference!” He snarled and raised a claw to strike him. Suddenly, Nitrobolt rammed into him.

The wolficon stumbled back but did not fall. Nitrobolt went for a punch but Steeljaw caught his fist before he could land a blow.

“I don't want to hurt you, Nitrobolt,” He caught his other fist and his grip gradually tightened around both. “Don't make me have to.”

“Too bad, Steeljaw,” Nitrobolt snarled.

In a swift motion, he pulled him down and kneed him in the face.

Steeljaw let him go and held it in pain just as Bumblebee tackled him again.

“You might have to.”

Meanwhile, Denny stood frozen as the members of the fight in front of him somehow managed not to squish him into a pulp accidentally.

“Dad!”

He turned towards the voices and saw Russell waving him over from behind a sign.

“Over here!” Russell called out again.

He quickly made his way over and hugged him.

“Are you okay?” He asked immediately, looking him over and it was then he took notice of the others.

“Hank? Costin? What are you doing here?”

“We're here to help. Where's the other boy?” Henry asked.

“Diego's….gone,” Denny answered.

Russell slumped over and once more tears began to brim in his eyes. “He's dead?” He choked.

“Yes….no—I don't know!” He exclaimed. “He just disappeared right in front of me like like—”

“A hologram?” Henry finished, eyes widening. “A living hologram?”

Denny nodded.

“Denny….I think Diego is really a—”

“Guys, we got trouble!” Hank cut in, pointing at the pods that had begun to open.

Steeljaw smirked. “You're too late,  lieutenant,” He said snidely.

Bumblebee looked back and watch in horror as the prisoners within the pods began slowly coming out.

“Close those pods!” He ordered the rest of the bots when they came.

“Got it! You think you can handle Steeljaw without me?” Nitrobolt asked.

“Yeah just—Ah! Go!” He grunted.

The four humans ran to the command console.

Denny reached to type something, but he hesitated.

“I've seen Fixit do this before, but it's Cybertronian technology,” He gulped. “I-I'm just a human—”

“No time for doubting yourself, Clay. Lives are at stake,” Henry immediately cut in. “I'll show you how to do this just follow my lead.”

He began typing things into the console and Denny did as requested and followed his lead.

The pods started to close but stopped suddenly.

Henry groaned. “Consoles too out of whack! We need to—”

“Maybe it needs a more earthy approach?” Denny suggested.

“If you mean hit it, do it,” He nodded and Denny stepped back and gave it a good and hard kick!

It seemed to snap everything back in place because the pods finally closed and the console stopped glitching.

“Good work, Clay,” Henry smiled.

“Thanks….How do you know how to use this stuff anyway?”

“When your “niece” and business partner are both Cybertronian you learn a thing or two,” He shrugged.

Bumblebee pinned Steeljaw and smirked.

“Looks like your army’s deserted you,  Steeljaw,” He said smugly.

Steeljaw pushed him away and reared himself to attack. He immediately faltered upon realizing he was in fact surrounded and his pack was nowhere in sight, most likely brought down by the Autobots.

He growled, “I will give the Decepticons their own world. This world. And I shall rule them!”

“Not today, Steeljaw—Ugh!” Bee was struck down by Fracture's minicons and the wolficon took the chance to transform and drive off, Airazor and Divebomb hitching a ride. He bowled the rest of the Autobots over during his escape and as soon as he neared the entrance he shouted for the others to go repeatedly.

They were all able to escape successfully and the Autobots, who were about to go after them, were stopped by Bumblebee.

“We should pursue them!” Drift insisted. P

“Our first priority is securing our prisoners by resetting the scrapyard's defenses. Steeljaw can wait,” Bumblebee frowned. His face softened when he turned to look at the humans.

“Russell. Denny. Henry. Hank. Strongarm and Nitrobolt. If it weren't for you, we'd have had our drive modules handed to us on a plate,” He praised them.

They smiled softly and nodded.

He suddenly frowned again, as did everyone, when the same thought crossed their minds.

“What happened to Diego?” He asked.

“Clay here explained to me that he just vanished right in front of him,” Henry answered. “And it was like he was a living breathing hologram. Now, what does that remind you of?”

The surrounding bots optics widened.

“A holoform,” Bumblebee muttered.

Henry nodded, “It's likely this whole time he was one of you and you didn't even know it.”

“Why didn't he say anything then?” Grimlock asked.

“He probably didn't even know himself,” Henry surmised.

“It all makes sense now,” Denny gasped, “why he has no memory, why there's no record of him ever existing, why he seemed to already unknowingly know so much about your biology and language, why a kid like him even owns a mini motorcycle….”

Bumblebee stayed quiet as the realization washed over him and a million thought raced in a frenzy through his processor. He thought of everything he knew about Diego, from his personality to his actions to his like and dislikes to everything he remembered him saying about his family, his parents and a brother he mentioned having especially. It all reminded him of someone he knew. Someone he cherished. Someone….he loved. He knew who Diego really was.

“Bee….you've been quiet, what's wrong?” Nitrobolt asked.

“I remember you, Nitrobolt,” He replied.

“W-What?”

“Back on Cybertron, something made everyone forget who you were. Even I forgot. They remembered but made you two different people; the young hero from the war and the councilmech’s rebellious son. We even barely remembered your creators and brother after they vanished. But now I do remember. You are Nitrobolt,” He declared, “oldest son of Nightshade and Onyx and your little brother is Blitzkrieg.”

Nitrobolt frowned, “What does that and I have to do with Diego?”

“After they were declared missing, you kept on telling people something about what really happened to them but no one believed you. What was that?”

“Ineritio and the Council threw my creators and brother into stasis pods and put them on a prison ship….” Nitrobolt murmured. Then his optics nearly popped out of his helm and he gasped. “Denny, where's Diego's motorcycle?!”

“Somewhere in the back by the old stoves,” Denny replied and he sprinted down through all the aisles in desperation, knocking down a few things in the process, until he reached where the bike was supposed to be. He looked around aimlessly before his optics caught onto something and he gaped in horror at the small puddle of energon.

“Nitrobolt, what's wrong?”

He saw Strongarm was next to him and he pointed to the puddle and to the small trail that came from it. “We have to follow it.”

She nodded and followed him over the wall and into the forest the energon lead to.


	22. Ch. 21

Nitrobolt and Strongarm had been searching for more than a half hour. The sun had long since set and it was dark, with nothing but their headlights serving as some source of light. All that could be seen were trees, trees, and, well, more trees. And it was quiet.

Blitzkrieg wasn't here or in sight. 

“Look, we don't want to hurt you!” Strongarm shouted. “We just want to help you. We know you're scared—”

“Strongarm….look.” Nitrobolt pointed to the small trail of energon that led even deeper into the thick wood.

“—and that you're hurt. Come out!” She added.

The drops grew larger and into small puddles as they seemed to get closer.

“Please, come out!” Both repeated with a sense of urgency.

“No, no, no, he's bleeding too much!” Nitrobolt cried and ran a little faster. “Blitz!”

This was not good. Blitzkrieg was small for a bot at his age and losing that much energon wasn't good.

Then suddenly, just as they were getting hopeful, the trail disappeared, like he had disappeared into thin air.

Nitrobolt let out a long, angry, frustrated, and sorrowful howl.

“15 years. It's been 15 years since they were taken from me! I just want my family back, is that too much to beg?” He wailed. Primus, he was pathetic! Still crying like a sparkling after all this time. But he couldn't help it. He just couldn't help it. “I just want my family back, Strongarm, why won't the universe just let me have them back? Not even one of them?”

“No more energon means he's okay and that he's stopped the leaking somehow. We'll find him….and he'll be okay, Nitro. Hey,” She took his hand, giving it a gentle and firm squeeze and coaxed him to look at her and smiled, “it's going to be okay. We'll look again in the morning when there's more light. It'll make things easier.”

Nitrobolt struggled but he eventually smiled back and looked ahead. “Please be okay, Blitz.”

□■□■□■

Steeljaw and the Pack had finally arrived at the new hideout.

It was an old army base deep in the Sierra Vistas, the mountain range outside the city. Unlike the steel mill, it was much larger and more secluded, in addition to not falling apart.

Steeljaw had found it a while before the mill was attacked and spent months sprucing it up and getting it back into working order. In addition to that, he spent time searching for energon and he was very lucky. He had found enough for an army.

An army he failed to get.

Now he was upset. Angry enough to kill.

It didn't help his would be allies wouldn't cease bickering like children.

He couldn't take it anymore!

“GET OUT!!” He roared, striking some scrap in his anger.

It ended up knocking down Clampdown, and it scared them all enough that they quickly left him without hesitation.

He growled and was ready to hit something else, but he kept his anger in and collapsed back against the wall.

It was all going swimmingly and would've been great.

But he didn't expect Nitrobolt.

A part of him hoped Nitrobolt had died that night because that would mean he wouldn't have to handle seeing him again. Then there was that other part of him (that he couldn't understand why it even existed) that hoped, _and dared to pray_ , that he was alive. He really hated the latter right now.

He could barely land a hit on the fragger because he didn't really want to hurt him….

Maybe it was his fault for caring too much for someone who shouldn't even matter to him.

It was strange. He could've sworn he felt something when they were fighting. A wave of great anger….and sadness. But those emotions weren't his. The anger probably, however though, the sadness was something up to debate…..

Whatever.

What his next move should be is the top priority, he could think of that later.

There was not much he could do at the moment. Autobots were probably improving their security system as he sat here thinking. Then they had Nitrobolt back and he was as intelligent as him, giving them the higher ground in that arena. He wouldn't be making any moves for a while.

That meant he'd have to hide in the shadows for now and wait for another opportunity to present itself.

Again.

 _“_ **_Steeljaw!_ ** ” A mysterious voice suddenly echoed.

He tensed, optics darting in every way in the search for its owner. He quickly stood up.

 **_“Call not your allies. I speak to you_ ** — **_”_ **

He noticed a small sheet of metal on the ground began to glow before an image of a faceless (or masked) bot appeared on it.

 **_“_ ** — **_and you alone.”_ **

Steeljaw glared down at the specter with a hard grimace. “Who are you?”

**_“I am the First Decepticon.”_ **

_I highly doubt that. You don't look like Megatron…._ Steeljaw thought a moment but he still continued to listen, watching as the sheet levitated off the ground while they spoke.

 **_“I was responsible for the Alchemor's crash, and thus your freedom. I freed you and your pack to serve me,”_ ** They declared.

“ _You?_ ” He scowled. “The pack obeys my orders!”

 **_“You are to prepare my gateway. I will provide you with instructions shortly,”_ ** They continued regardless.

“I will _not_ take orders from you!” He protested.

**_“You will obey! Just because I'm in a different dimension does not mean I cannot hurt you.”_ **

With a quick close of their fist, they crushed the sheet into a little ball like it was nothing but tin foil.

He flinched but remained steadfast.

“Play all the tricks you like, I do not scare,” He drowned. “And soon I will have a legion of Decepticons. No bot will interfere with _my_ plans to rule this planet!”

 **_“I appreciate your ambition, Steeljaw._ ** **_  
_ ** **_Truly I do. Prepare my way, and I shall give you this world,”_ ** They proposed.

“Hmm,” He thought for a moment. This bot, spirit, or whatever, was obviously powerful.

He liked working for his goals, but for once he'd like to win. Even if he had to be someone's lap-dog for a while. “Agreed.”

His answer satisfied them and they disappeared, the metal falling to the ground with a small _clank_.

“For now,” He smirked.  
All was quiet once more and he sat back down, taking out a datapad to read.

But he wouldn't be able to relax just yet.

He heard a small cough.

At first, he ignored it as nothing as just his processor playing tricks.

But then he heard it a few more times and knew it couldn't just play it off as nothing anymore.

He went to investigate, using each new cough to guide him to its owner.

They lead to the room he stored the energon in. He quickly opened the door and he could immediately hear someone whimpering.

He quickly followed it and was taken aback by what, or rather, who he found.

A small bot was lying huddled in the corner with his optics shut, probably fast asleep.

He was small but too big to be a minicon and too young and too soon to tell if he was a minibot, so he had to be a youngling.

He was dark blue with a few streaks of white and an Autobot insignia on his chest. He had claws and Steeljaw could faintly see a pair of fangs poking out of his mouth.

He also noticed the wound on his side that looked to welded shut recently. It looked to self-inflicted—the welding—because it was a little sloppy.

Steeljaw recognized him. He'd seen many pictures of and heard enough stories from Nitrobolt about him. This was his little brother Blitzkrieg, Blitz for short.

Best guess is that Ineritio had him put on the Alchemor.

Now what to do with him. He could just leave him at the Autobots' doorstep….though they might just attack him. Could leave him in the forest so the Autobots could find him….but then he just might wake up and lose it.

Or he could keep him.

No! That was a crazy idea….though it could work out.

He just made a deal that would get him his empire. Every ruler needed an heir. Who better than the youngling sleeping before him. Nitrobolt had told him how Blitz was highly intelligent for his age, very intuitive, and not too bad when put in a situation where he has to fight.

But as skilled as he was, he was still very young and his mind was still fresh.

He could teach the youngling how to harness his skills and shape him into the perfect successor. It was full proof!

But what about Nitrobolt? No doubt he missed his brother—there were nights when Nitrobolt broke down and cried about this for hours on end—he'd want him back….

What did he just tell himself? Stop caring for someone who shouldn't matter.

He took a moment to mentally smack himself.

It was settled then. He'd be keeping the boy.

Carefully, Steeljaw gathered Blitz up in his arms and in an instant, his whimpering ceased. He could feel the little one's body become more relaxed as he snuggled up to him.

 _You are going to regret this…._ He shrugged the thought off as he carried the boy away.

□■□■□■

Meanwhile, back at the scrapyard, everyone was still trying to grasp what had happened.

“....I think someone on Cybertron was making everyone forget certain things. Like I can't even really remember those three kids that were in Team Prime, only that we were friends and that they existed,” Bumblebee told Drift and Grimlock. “I think I would've forgotten them entirely if we hadn't ended up on Earth.”

“Why do you think it took you longer to remember Nitrobolt, though?” Grimlock questioned and he shrugged.

“Perhaps…. whoever was making people forget wanted him forgotten the most,” Drift surmised. “Especially when he went missing.”

He heard a yelp and he took a glance at Jetstorm handling the strange scraplet Russell had found.

“So….he won't eat us?” Jetstorm asked nervously as Robert the Scraplet nuzzled him. Russell had found him again and he guessed the reason he disappeared was that he was hiding when the Decepticons attacked.

“No. I guess he's special like that. I think he likes you,” Russell replied. “But, to be honest, he seems to like everyone.”

Jetstorm laughed and began to pet him, Robert letting out soft whirs in response.

“Hey Slipstream, Sideswipe,” He said, “you want to hold him?”

Slipstream quickly shook his helm.

“I'm fine with just watching for now,” Sideswipe declined.

“What about you, Hank?”

Hank nodded eagerly and Jetstorm handed him over to her. “You know I still can't believe you're both Jimmy and Conan.”

“Well, Sideswipe needed little brothers so he got us,” Slipstream shrugged.

“Yeah and who better than these two?” He said. “We had fun, didn't we guys?”

“Yeah!” Jetstorm agreed. “Especially when we weren't too busy doing that…. _that_ _thing…_.”

Sideswipes mood visibly changed slightly and he looked a little upset.

“Hey, Sideswipe, remember when you took the whole team to the arcade when we won that game?” Hank quickly spoke up and he smiled.

“Abso-fragging-lutely!” He exclaimed. “That kid—Butch, right?—he made a new high score on that game that hadn't been beaten since what? 2017?”

“That's as old as me!” Hank chimed.

“You're 12?” Russell questioned, surprised.

“Yeah, why?”

“I thought we were the same age but you're older than me by a year.”

“Damn. I owe Butch 5 bucks….” She groaned.

“You were betting on my age!?” He exclaimed in disbelief.

Denny smiled at them for a moment from the command console where he was watching Henry was helping Fix-It fix it.

“So Clay, you taking notes?” Henry asked.

“What?”

“On how to fix this and how it works.”

“Oh….yeah,” He nodded and picked his notepad back up.

Henry paused before he turned to Fix-It. “You can handle the rest, right, Fix-It?”

“Yes, thank you, Henry,” Fix-It answered and continued to work.

Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of gum. He took a stick and popped it in his mouth and held it to Denny. “Gum?”

“I'm okay, thanks,” He muttered and looked back down at the kids and minicons.

“M'kay,” Henry said. “Clay—”

“Denny. Just call me Denny.”

“Okay, call me Henry then— _Denny_ , you look….upset. What's up?”

Denny sighed. “All the insane shit that's happened today….it was just a normal day and then this happens.”

“Tell me about it, I was in the middle of asking Anita to marry me and then Hank calls me….I think Anita knows where I was getting at though,” He said and then frowned. “I feel bad for Nitrobolt. I can't imagine Hank being taken from me, I could barely even grasp having everyone you've ever loved....”

“Yeah,” He frowned. “....Almost got Russell taken from me. Nicole will _kill_ me for how many time his life been at stake for the past 6 months.”

“Who's Nicole?”

“Russell's mom. She's a sweet gal….but when she's upset, _like really upset_ , you better run. I know for a fact she'll kill me,” He gulped.

Just then, right then and there, his phone rang. He took it out and went white with fear as he caught a glimpse of the caller ID.

“Heeey, Nicole,” He answered, trying to mask the fear in his voice. “Russell? Oh, he's fine. Never been better, hehe….Listen, are you gonna be coming back soon from Copenhagen? Just wondering! 'Cause Rusty misses you and….”

Denny heard a collective gasp and Henry pointed to something urgently. He followed his finger to what it was and he nearly choked, dropping his phone.

There was a woman standing near the rocket door entrance. She was average height and build with shoulder length wavy auburn hair and dark brown eyes, dressed in a business suit.

“Hi, Denny,” She said with a small smile, but in her eyes, there was a fire and there was something in her voice that told everyone one thing; she was pissed off.

“Mom?” Russell squeaked.

“Nicole. You look good….” Denny smiled back nervously. “How did you get in here?”

“I still have the passcode. Divorced for 6 years and you still haven't changed it….” She tisked and looked at all the Autobots. "New friends?"

"Listen, I can explain—"

"And you will," She frowned and took out her wallet, revealing a badge and credentials. “Agent Nicole Bishop of the United States government, part of Unit E. And you all got some serious explaining to do.”

_**TO BE CONTINUED....** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will happen?  
> Wait and see!

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE COMMENT. I AM DESPERATE TO KNOW IF I'M DOING ANY OF THIS RIGHT! I NEED CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!


End file.
